Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 400 - 373 Mazao’s Temperature

Chapter 400: 373 Mazao’s Temperature

Obviously, Gua Tianshi has seen through Mazao’s Broom Star Physique.

For Gua Tianshi and other Impermanences who can directly see fate, it’s very difficult to hide Mazao’s Broom Star Physique, so I simply didn’t spend much effort on this matter. And now, I’ve already begun to have the ability to protect Mazao under the Impermanence, so even if Impermanence has thoughts about the Broom Star Physique, I wouldn’t be completely without countermeasures.

Moreover, although Broom Star Physique indeed helps Impermanence anchor in the abnormal world, it is not unique. Besides, this physique that frequently drags people around into abnormal events is enough to annoy other Impermanences to no end, and Impermanence itself has more than one way to anchor itself. Other than Ming Zhuo valuing Mazao as the "person who came back to life", for other Impermanences, Mazao is just icing on the cake rather than a timely help, and there’s no need to stand against me for this.

"Truly an unfortunate fate." Gua Tianshi looked at Mazao with pity, "You are destined never to escape the grasp of the supernatural. While the vast majority of demon hunters are like this, your situation is a hundred times more severe than theirs.

"Even just eating or drinking water might attract supernatural entities. Taking a walk outside might result in encountering unknown supernatural events. If, for other demon hunters, supernatural events are accidents occurring in their lives, then for you, living a day like a normal person is rather the anomaly in your life."

I asked, "Can you see what influences led to the emergence of her fate like this?"

Even though I’ve always referred to the fate that attracts Mazao to supernatural events as a kind of "physique," I don’t think it’s something she was born with.

It’s hard to imagine someone living such a life, frequently encountering supernatural beings from infancy, and still surviving until today. It’s like a person being forced to engage in life-and-death battles with muscle-bound adults and even man-eating lions or tigers in an enclosed space at an age when they can’t even walk, and yet surviving intact till now.

"From my observation, her unfortunate fate stems from her power," Gua Tianshi replied.

Mazao couldn’t help but speak, "Power?"

Gua Tianshi nodded and continued while observing Mazao, "The superpower you possess is a regressive force capable of restoring All Things to their original state. Am I correct?

"Perhaps this power seems very similar to the ’Power of Time Retrospection’ in manifestation, but fundamentally, it’s based on a different concept. Rather than being a ’retracing of time,’ it’s a ’rejection of the present.’ Time retrospection is merely a secondary product of your power. However, in many instances, you can indeed perceive it as a temporal force because, in most cases, the two are equivalent."

"But... why does this power attract supernatural entities?" I asked, "Does it carry some kind of cost?"

The concept of ’power accompanied by cost’ is not uncommon. Some superpower battle stories even emphasize this concept, but there may not necessarily be an obvious causal relationship between power and cost. For instance, if a superpower creates explosions and the cost is drinking hot milk, there clearly seems to be no causal relationship between the two.

But Gua Tianshi shook his head.

"This fate of attracting supernatural entities is not the cost of her having power, nor is it due to some curse, but simply a natural phenomenon. Just as a strong magnet will inevitably affect the surrounding magnetic objects. Because she possesses the Power of Return, her fate naturally turned out this way," he explained.

"But I don’t understand the ’natural causal relation’ between ’having the Power of Return’ and ’attracting supernatural entities,’" I said.

Gua Tianshi displayed a contemplative expression. I refrained from interrupting him, perhaps he had connected some dots; while Mazao looked at him expectantly, seemingly desperate to understand how her long-time tormenting Broom Star Physique was produced.

After a moment, Gua Tianshi raised his head and glanced at Mazao, then shook his head again.

"Unfortunately, the universe we live in wasn’t formed with human logic and reason in mind, and therefore, there are causal relations in nature that even the wisdom of Impermanence cannot comprehend," he said, "Because of possessing the Power of Return, supernatural entities are attracted—this causal relationship we can only accept in its entirety now."

"I see..." Mazao was disheartened.

"Nevertheless, not understanding this causal relationship does not prevent us from solving the problem," Gua Tianshi turned the conversation, "Just like how the ancients could extinguish flames with water and sand even if they didn’t understand the chemical principles of combustion. I know a bit about manipulating fate, and with my power, I can remove this fate for you."

Mazao uncertainly asked, "Is it true that as long as you take action, I won’t continue encountering supernatural entities?"

"Yes." Gua Tianshi nodded, "Not only you, people around you won’t be caught up in your fate anymore either."

Upon hearing this, I immediately felt a sense of dread.

Is Mazao’s Broom Star Physique about to be removed?

Mr. Zhu over there is developing my forces to strengthen my anchoring in the abnormal world. Because that side just started, removing Mazao’s Broom Star Physique now could potentially make me lose my anchoring, lose my fate connected to the abnormal world.

However, as long as it’s not removed right now but rather dealt with in several days or over a dozen days, I shouldn’t need to worry about such possibilities. And for Mazao, that would be the best ending as well.

The problem is that for someone like me who now possesses the Power of Great Impermanence, simply maintaining the most basic connection with the abnormal world or occasionally encountering one or two insignificant supernatural events is pretty much the same as returning to everyday life. Right now, I cannot accept losing Mazao with her Broom Star Physique.

I don’t know if the end that might be stopped by the Impermanences, nor do I know Shan Liangyi’s current whereabouts; those issues and enemies are but distant promises in my mind, vague compared to Mazao, who opened the curtain to the magical world for me and continuously brought me adventures, making her truly important and irreplaceable in my heart.

And I am well aware that this is just my selfish desire at work. The Broom Star Physique is both a symbol of my fortune and the source of Mazao’s misfortune. Letting Mazao retain the Broom Star Physique is equivalent to letting her continue in misfortune.

Zhu Shi’s sharp questioning echoed in my mind.

— If one day, you encountered a chance to help Mazao remove her Broom Star Physique...

— Would you help her?

This opportunity came so fast that I wasn’t mentally prepared at all!

Yet I am not naive to think whining would change reality. Now, this opportunity indisputably stands before me. Should I help Mazao, or maintain the status quo? I must decide immediately.

Amidst intense contradiction, I struggled to maintain a calm façade, forcing myself to give an answer.

And at that moment, I felt my hand being held. Turning my head, I found Mazao looking into my eyes.

Then, Mazao looked at Gua Tianshi and answered, "I don’t want to lose this fate yet."

"Are you sure?"

Gua Tianshi slightly lowered his gaze for a moment, then returned it, with a peculiar smile, "Until now, you’ve endured enough hardships and shed countless tears, haven’t you? Now that you have this chance to remove it, you’re giving it up?"

"In the past, I was always cursed by my fate and cursed my fate in return. Why did so much unjust misfortune fall on my head... why me?" Mazao said, "But now, I no longer curse my fate... I even thank it, for allowing me to believe that the path I’ve walked has meaning.

"Even if everyone calls me a Broom Star, there will be someone who sees me as a Lucky Star. Perhaps I’ve survived till today for this person."

Mazao’s unwavering voice and the warmth of her palm transferred into the depths of my heart.

"I hope you won’t regret this in the future," Gua Tianshi nodded, "Then... let me tell you another piece of good news."

"Good news?" Mazao was puzzled.

"The fate attracting supernatural entities has, in a way, already been curbed. No, I’m not sure if the term ’curbed’ is appropriate... perhaps saying it has been ’diverted’ is more accurate," Gua Tianshi said, "Have you recently noticed, despite logically encountering supernatural entities frequently, the incidents aren’t as frequent as you imagined? Instead, someone around you is exposed to more events than you are?"

His words reactivated my slightly stalled brain.

And Gua Tianshi continued saying to Mazao, "Your fate is now shrouded by a massive supernatural shadow. For other supernatural entities to reach you, they must first pass through this shadow covering your fate."

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