Chapter 239: One Path to Life, One Path to Death!
Back when Zhang Yangqing wasn’t yet a Celestial Master, he would practice these skills whenever he had nothing else to do.
Back then, the old Celestial Master had actually encouraged him to cultivate them.
The reasoning was that you might not necessarily need to use these underhanded techniques, but you absolutely had to know about them.
When you encounter people using such dirty tricks against you, you’ll then know how to counter them.
That was the old master’s philosophy. He knew Zhang Yangqing learned quickly anyway, and it wouldn’t waste much time.
He always had to find something for this kid to do; otherwise, he’d just slack off all day.
Whether it was just the old master’s excuse or his genuine intention, Zhang Yangqing ended up learning them all.
He never expected he’d actually get to use them here.
Now, as a Celestial Master, he couldn’t constantly be using skills that others might label as ‘underhanded.’
Besides, most of the time, he could just directly take what he wanted, so he scorned using such methods.
The Flying Dragon Cloud-Hand technique wasn’t as exaggerated as one might imagine. To successfully retrieve an item, you needed to know its appearance, the general structure of the clothing, and roughly where it was hidden.
Proficiency only increased the success rate; it wasn’t something Zhang Yangqing could just use blindly with no information whatsoever.
Doing that would only draw unwanted attention.
That was precisely why he had made the hidden anomaly show him the item first.
However, he always projected such an aura of authority that no one thought along those lines.
Moreover, not even the hidden anomaly standing right in front of him could tell, let alone anyone outside who might have witnessed Zhang Yangqing’s movements.
Even someone as powerful as the Pope had no idea such a skill existed, simply because they’d never been exposed to it.
Even if a few old-timers from Dragon Country had guessed, they wouldn’t dare speak of it. They had to accept Zhang Yangqing’s explanation that he might possess a replication ability, which was how he could produce two passes.
Would they dare voice their true thoughts?
Speaking up would lead to one of two outcomes.
If they guessed correctly, they would surely incur Zhang Yangqing’s resentment, which basically meant they’d face retaliation. Zhang Yangqing was notoriously ruthless and never let a grudge slide, always sporting an attitude of ‘just dare to provoke me.’
If they guessed wrong, Zhang Yangqing would have direct cause to come looking for trouble, and they’d have to accept any consequences, having brought it upon themselves by spreading falsehoods.
Besides, regardless of being right or wrong, there was no benefit for them. So, no one would risk offending Zhang Yangqing for no reason.
However, Zhang Yangqing, having passed the checkpoint, felt he had missed a huge opportunity.
If he had known there would be four hidden anomalies here, he would have brought one or two more people out.
After all, who ever complains about having too many useful tools?
When it came to passing through checkpoints like this, Zhang Yangqing could be said to have some experience.
Last time, he had extracted blood from the toll station staff to get his people through.
That proved there were always solutions, besides the death rules. Other rules could be navigated.
It just depended on whether the Chosen One could find the solution or had the capability.
This time, he simply started gathering information through conversation. Having the ultimate pass was best, but if not, it didn’t really matter.
Yesterday, the ninja from Sakura Country who met his sudden end had run out at night. The sun had already set, light was poor, and he couldn’t see the outside clearly—only the outlines of some buildings. He had no idea what terrifying things lurked out there.
That was precisely why he died as soon as he stepped out.
Bypassing the procedures, as Gregori had speculated, meant relying solely on one’s own abilities to clear the instance without rules.
The difficulty increased tenfold. Unless one possessed top-tier strength and impeccable judgment, it was a near-certain death sentence.
In comparison, when the Sakura Country transcendent emerged, aside from bringing a sufficient amount of medicine, he had no food, no disinfectant, no gas mask, and not even an idea of where to go.
He could only rely on luck to find survivors and get information from them.
The Chosen Ones emerging now not only had food and disinfectant but also a vehicle for transportation.
From the parking garage, they could also observe plenty of useful intelligence.
This was the normal difficulty of the bizarre world. At least now, when encountering danger, they knew how to avoid it.
Inside the bizarre world, Zhang Yangqing had instructed the one-eyed young man to drive around the city randomly while he observed the nearby buildings.
This place didn’t really resemble a so-called “Plague Town.” The city was vast, with towering skyscrapers rising from the ground and many upscale buildings nearby. Although dilapidated, one could still vaguely discern their former prosperity.
The buildings lining the streets had been ravaged by the rampant plague and insect infestations, reduced to rubble and ruins.
Through the broken masonry and shattered windows, one could vaguely see that the buildings were long deserted.
Inside the shops, cabinets, bagged goods, and various daily necessities lay silently abandoned.
As they passed residential areas, many Chosen Ones even felt as though pairs of eyes were watching them from the shadows.
But it was high noon, the sun blazing down, and these things seemed reluctant to come out.
Or perhaps, hiding inside the buildings, they too feared the emergence of something else.
The one-eyed young man turned the steering wheel, and as the vehicle continued forward, countless human skeletons scattered across the road came into view. They were once residents of this city, but they had tragically perished under the onslaught of plague and insects.
Some of the skeletons had already turned to bone, while others still retained the contorted postures of their final moments, as if silently recounting the suffering and despair they had endured.
In the park, the once lush green trees had withered to yellow, their leaves long gone.
The grass on the lawns had also wilted and decayed. As the vehicle sped past, the withered plants, stirred by the turbulence, swayed gently in the breeze, as if mourning this once beautiful world.
The Chosen Ones all passed by a particular place, perhaps the epicenter of the city’s plague outbreak. Countless poultry were haphazardly buried in pits, the feathers of chickens, ducks, and geese scattered messily on the ground.
Every corner of this city was steeped in the stench of death, evoking an indescribable sense of oppression and fear.
Everyone had been driving for a while, yet they seemed to have found no so-called “rules.”
This caused some of the newly arrived transcendents to feel a bit flustered and helpless.
After all, with rules, at least you could analyze where the danger lay and how to handle different situations.
Without rules, encountering danger meant relying purely on reaction speed and luck, didn’t it?
This started to make the newcomers panic.
Zhang Yangqing seemed to be the first to understand something, because he saw a road sign.
The sign had a marker for [Hospital]. He instructed the one-eyed young man to drive towards the hospital, following the sign’s direction.
Other Chosen Ones, more or less, also saw the word “hospital” on road signs or billboards by the roadside and similarly drove towards it.
Because back at the rehabilitation center, many rules had hinted that Chosen Ones should seek a doctor.
Doctors should generally be at the hospital, and even if this city appeared largely deserted, the hospital was bound to hold some clues.
Around noon, many Chosen Ones had already found the former site of the hospital.
Calling it the ‘former site’ was apt because the place was severely collapsed, as if it had been specifically targeted by the disaster.
Or perhaps it had been attacked by some powerful creature.
The reason the rehabilitation center hadn’t been destroyed yet was likely due to the protection of the hidden anomalies guarding it.
At this point, the fifteen Chosen Ones who had survived and driven out of the underground parking lot were not in a hurry to enter.
Following normal eating patterns, the Chosen Ones needed to eat around 12 o’clock.
After parking their vehicles in concealed spots, they all began eating inside their cars.
Some Chosen Ones ate very quickly, some even just gnawing on compressed biscuits and washing them down with water.
The luckier ones could add some ham sausage or the like.
If they knew that the person in the neighboring vehicle was feasting on delicacies, pastries, and juice, who knows what they would think.
Meanwhile, the vast majority of Chosen Ones were still at the rehabilitation center.
Hundreds had already prepared to tackle the second level tonight.
Those who were slower on the uptake were still blindly pondering, frustrating the onlookers outside.
Particularly the Chosen One from the Pyramid Nation, Andyebu. His strength was unquestionable, but his thought process seemed lacking.
He was even studying the mysterious painting and wasting a lot of time at the colored doors on the third floor.
This was completely off the main track, making the Pharaoh’s Heir wish he could go in and give him a whack with his staff.
Others had already reached the third level, searching for an antidote outside, and this guy was still playing around inside?
Many people criticized Andyebu in front of the Pharaoh’s Heir, saying he was truly embarrassing and had disgraced their entire faction.
They spoke with righteous indignation, as if they were itching to replace Andyebu themselves.
But when the Pharaoh’s Heir asked who would go in the next round, these loudmouths fell silent.
Each pretended not to hear. They dared to talk big, but if it came down to actually going in, they might perform even worse than Andyebu.
The Pyramid Nation’s expert panel had long anticipated this outcome. Whether it was an advanced or even a low-level bizarre world, transcendents actually needed strong judgment to figure out how to clear it.
Otherwise, due to its overwhelming power, getting stuck inside or violating a death rule would also result in death.
“Professor Rahman, why do so many transcendents tend to struggle in places like this?”
In the Pyramid Nation’s expert panel, a newcomer asked.
After all, Rahman had cleared it three times; fewer than ten people globally had such clearance experience.
“Normal. The thinking of transcendents differs from ordinary people. They tend to overcomplicate things and can easily get tangled up in their own thoughts.”
Rahman glanced at his nation’s main screen. He actually had a way to help Andyebu clear it.
He only needed to tell him one thing. But the Pharaoh’s Guardians were too arrogant, so he naturally had no interest in speaking up.
“Then how can Andyebu manage to pass?”
“It’s actually simple. He just needs to think of himself as an ordinary person. Consider what an ordinary person would do when facing these dangers, and he’ll naturally get through it.”
That was Rahman’s explanation. After all, there are many ways to clear the bizarre world. The so-called rules are actually hints provided for ordinary Chosen Ones to pass.
Just like Gregori. In the prison level, he acted recklessly because he had the skill, but he nearly got himself killed.
So, when in doubt, forget your own strength and view the rules from an ordinary person’s perspective. Gather the relevant information, connect the dots, and you’ll understand how an ordinary person would pass.
At that point, the advanced version would be Zhang Yangqing’s way of thinking.
Once you know how an ordinary person would pass, you know the correct route.
Zhang Yangqing could then improvise freely along these routes, ensuring he doesn’t deviate from the correct path while maximizing his own comfort.
Simply put, he does whatever he pleases.
Actually, if you watch Zhang Yangqing’s recordings closely, you’ll notice that although he appears to act recklessly and his methods seem absurd, he wasn’t reckless initially.
Many transcendents outside only remember Zhang Yangqing’s glorious moments in the bizarre world, his domineering battles with the world’s bosses. Their minds are filled with fantasies of replacing him and fighting even more bravely.
But they overlook the fact that before Zhang Yangqing started his ‘reckless’ actions, he had already handled countless details impeccably.
That’s why, in this round involving top-tier participants, the performance of the vast majority among the 180 transcendents was utterly terrible.
And at this moment, Zhang Yangqing had finished eating and stepped out of the off-road vehicle.
The one-eyed young man followed closely behind.
Zhang Yangqing couldn’t very well leave him in the car. What if the kid drove off? Wouldn’t that be a huge joke?
Besides, the vicinity just looked empty. It really might not be.
Some of the smarter Chosen Ones even used sand, withered leaves, garbage bags, and the like to camouflage their vehicles.
They were afraid that while they were exploring inside, someone might discover their car and break into it.
After getting out, the one-eyed young man also carried a backpack containing some food, drinking water, and disinfectant.
He had left most of the supplies in the car.
This was to avoid getting trapped inside the hospital, unable to get out or find food.
It showed he was still cautious and paid attention to details.
Here, he didn’t ask Zhang Yangqing if he could stay in the car, because that would only make this incomprehensibly powerful teammate dissatisfied with him.
The hospital steps were high. As the two ascended, the one-eyed young man suddenly took the initiative to speak: “Thank you for bringing me out.”
Zhang Yangqing, without turning his head, casually replied, “Don’t worry, as long as you obey, I will definitely accomplish what I said.”
At this stage, the two were building mutual trust.
By saying this, the one-eyed young man was telling Zhang Yangqing that he was someone who remembered kindness.
Zhang Yangqing’s words were even more direct: just listen to me, and I can guarantee to take you all the way.
If anyone else had spoken to the one-eyed young man so arrogantly, he certainly wouldn’t have believed them.
But Zhang Yangqing’s displayed strength had given him a glimmer of a sense of security.
Was this what it felt like to latch onto a powerful figure? Was it really this comfortable?
If Zhang Yangqing’s previous teammates knew his thoughts, they would surely say: That’s right, latching onto a powerful figure is exactly this comfortable.
We didn’t even know what dangers we encountered along the way, and we still cleared the instance.
Because the most dangerous one was this guy?
As the fifteen Chosen Ones entered the hospital, signs of battle were everywhere inside.
The walls and floors were stained with various kinds of blood, though it had long since dried.
Many room doors and walls had been destroyed, indicating the power of whatever had attacked the place.
Upon entering, Gregori instinctively started looking for rules.
But after searching around the main entrance for a long time without finding any, he had to go inside.
There was a faint medicinal smell inside, but as he went deeper, strange odors emerged.
At this point, the Chosen Ones put on their masks.
Probably due to lack of cleaning, a layer of dust covered the floor.
Experienced Chosen Ones could tell from the dust that no one had been here for a while.
If anyone were hiding here, they would have left at least some footprints.
Many parts of the hospital had collapsed, seemingly leaving only one path forward.
It appeared to be guiding the Chosen Ones in that direction.
Even knowing this, the Chosen Ones still walked cautiously along the hospital corridors.
Especially when passing by certain wards, they worried that some anomaly might suddenly jump out.
It wasn’t that these Chosen Ones were neurotic; maintaining a high level of alertness in the bizarre world was certainly not wrong.
Reaching the stairwell, the Chosen Ones saw some skeletons.
Everyone was wearing gas masks anyway, so even if viruses lingered on the bones, it didn’t matter.
The Chosen Ones continued up to the fourth floor before finding a relatively intact special office with a sign reading ‘Plague Consultation.’
Since it mentioned plague, the Chosen Ones naturally wanted to go in and take a look.
Here, they remained very cautious. Some used their own iron bars to push the door open, observed the room from outside to ensure no danger lurked inside, and only then entered.
When Zhang Yangqing entered, he had the one-eyed young man stand at the door, using his body to block it while observing the situation outside.
He then went in to investigate himself.
The two had a clear division of labor.
Entering the office, Zhang Yangqing shone his flashlight around and found the furnishings simple.
There were some cabinets nearby, holding only a few odds and ends.
The main focus was the desk in front of him, on which lay a note and a map.
The note roughly stated that the hospital had been attacked and this place was now the primary habitat of “those creatures.”
Therefore, the hospital had to relocate to another location.
Patients in need of medical attention should follow the map’s instructions to the new site.
After reading the map, Zhang Yangqing’s mouth twitched slightly.
“No wonder this round provided a car. If we had to walk, we might literally walk until we drop!”
From the map, Zhang Yangqing could roughly tell that while other locations weren’t marked, the marked ones probably represented the route they needed to take.
But here, a so-called ‘choice’ appeared, and different choices would naturally lead to different outcomes.
There were two routes to the new hospital. The first passed through ‘Plague Town’—the very place the Chosen Ones’ identities referred to.
Because the Chosen Ones were playing the role of residents of Plague Town.
The second route passed through ‘Prison Town.’ After these two paths, the routes converged again, leading through a few more strange locations before reaching the hospital.
But this initial choice was baffling.
Zhang Yangqing probably understood what it meant.
He remembered seeing two passages in the rehabilitation center’s screening room.
[When the world is filled with sin, the strange bird that judges all living beings will appear. It is the Origin of Annihilation, the Messenger of the End.]
[When the world is filled with disease, the strange bird that saves all living beings will appear. It is the Plague Doctor of Salvation, the Gospel of Creation.]
Prison Town, as the name suggests, held many criminals, corresponding to sin.
That meant, when passing through Prison Town, they would encounter that strange bird which judges all beings. It is the Origin of Annihilation, the Messenger of the End—sounding very much like a path to death.
Plague Town, as the name suggests, was filled with viruses, corresponding to disease.
When the Chosen Ones went there, they would certainly encounter another strange bird, different from the one in Prison Town. This one was the Plague Doctor of Salvation, the Gospel of Creation—sounding like a path to survival?
While others were still speculating about these two paths, trying to figure out which one led to life, Zhang Yangqing already knew the answer.
When both the audience and expert panels outside, as well as the other fourteen Chosen Ones, were utterly confused, Zhang Yangqing even felt the clues in this round were too obvious!
