Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 414 - 386 Zhu Shi’s Attempt_2

Chapter 414: 386 Zhu Shi’s Attempt_2

The allocation of ownerless Divine Seal fragments comes to a close here. As for the wooden box that came with Divine Light, used to store three ownerless Divine Seal fragments, I have not discarded it.

This object appears unremarkable, yet it possesses the mysterious function of preventing Void Envoys from sensing the ownerless Divine Seal fragments. If the Void Envoy’s sensing is an embodiment of the Power of Divine Seal Fragments, then this wooden box can be said to hinder it with profound capabilities. The fact that Divine Light casually took out such an item to gift to others shows the depth of their research into the Divine Seal fragments and their powers. The assassination of the Master of Divine Seal is no mere arrogant boast.

Recently, this week, I heard from Mr. Zhu that Zhu Shi used Mazao’s teleportation ability to take a moment to return to Saltwater City.

At first, I thought she was just finding time to visit her still-sleeping mother Zhu Jiu. But later, thinking about how she hadn’t left Saltwater City for many days, coupled with the fact that it’s a tumultuous period, she might have had other reasons for going back. Now that there’s an opportunity, I asked her what she went back for.

Zhu Shi responded, "I went back to try and quickly regain the power of Right Positioning Heavenly Phenomena."

"What’s the connection between that and your trip back to Saltwater City?" I asked curiously.

"The idea came to me recently when I saw Lu Chan wandering around here," Zhu Shi said. "Do you remember how he regained the ’Possibility Doppelgänger’ ability?"

Upon hearing this, I immediately understood the key point: "I see."

Back then, Lu Chan discarded his original intentions along with the first-class national demon hunter medal in a secret base of the Human Bureau. Later, by reconnecting with that medal, he recovered his past self and regained the power of "Possibility Doppelgänger."

At Zhu Shi’s home in Saltwater City, there might be a similar "object anchoring her past self," and through contact, she might transform back to Zhu Jiuxing, directly regaining romantic feelings and the Right Positioning Heavenly Phenomena.

To put it plainly, I suspect this object is likely that white box... to be precise, it’s the dolls stuffed with Zhu Jiuxing’s childhood memories that filled it.

"I took out all the dolls inside, placed them in a circle on my bed at home, and then slept in the middle," Zhu Shi said. "But nothing happened. I remained as I am, and ’Buzhou Mountain’ remained ’Buzhou Mountain.’

I immediately said, "Nothing happening is the best outcome. If you really turned back into Zhu Jiuxing, wouldn’t that mean the current you would mentally perish?"

Upon realizing the parallels between Zhu Shi’s childhood changes and Lu Chan’s past, I reconsidered whether to help Zhu Shi regain her romantic feelings, realizing the potentially fatal consequences.

"No, I don’t have the premonition that my current self would die," Zhu Shi said. "At most, I’d reclaim the sensibility of my childhood, becoming less suited for combat.

"The main component of my combat capability in the future will be the Yama Sword, so even if I become less suitable for combat, it won’t affect my performance as a Great Impermanence Level power.

"As for the hindrance of a changed character on combat... I am now an adult with ample battle experience, and I believe I can solve these issues on my own."

The reason she wanted to speedily regain Right Positioning Heavenly Phenomena is probably to obtain Great Impermanence Level power within three days, then join the battle at the Human Bureau’s main base. It’s likely not just to fight alongside me but also to personally pull down the final curtain on her evil father Ying Lingyun’s life.

Unfortunately, she didn’t make it in time.

Unlike Changan, she didn’t show much regret regarding this, as her feelings for Ying Lingyun weren’t so intense that she couldn’t let go.

Meanwhile, I noticed another issue.

"Can previous irreversible sacrifices be so easily restored?" I felt this didn’t align with my intuition.

"Irreversible sacrifices?"

Zhu Shi was initially puzzled, then enlightened, saying, "You mean the extreme methods some demon hunters use to become stronger. Although my childhood self did abandon something important, it’s not the same thing.

"In fact, I didn’t gain greater power from childhood sacrifices. It merely altered my attributes. If anything, I might have quantitatively fewer talents than my younger self."

Indeed, though "Buzhou Mountain" is a powerful superpower, it doesn’t seem as transcendent as Right Positioning Heavenly Phenomena, and its functions are more limited compared to the prototype.

"Buzhou Mountain" even has the limitation of "only being fully effective in combat," which might illustrate Zhu Shi’s resolve for a life invested in combat. If I had to choose between the two abilities, I’d prefer Right Positioning Heavenly Phenomena. Even though the attribute of eye color changing during combat is genuinely alluring.

"I heard the Right Positioning Heavenly Phenomena can be mastered through training," I said. "Though it seems extremely difficult, since you have previously mastered Right Positioning Heavenly Phenomena and now have Mazao helping you project it daily, might there be a chance to remaster it through training?"

"Probably not," Zhu Shi shook her head. "Firstly, strictly speaking, ’Buzhou Mountain’ is the altered form of Right Positioning Heavenly Phenomena. Therefore, unless through special powers like Mazao’s Power of Return, they cannot coexist under natural conditions.

"Secondly, to me, killing is a conclusive act. And since I have accepted myself as a killer, I can no longer master Right Positioning Heavenly Phenomena, which is communicative in nature.

"...It doesn’t mean that killing and Right Positioning Heavenly Phenomena are inherently incompatible; it’s just like this in my world. To make me someone who could adopt both is not entirely impossible, but it requires thoroughly restructuring my worldview based on reclaiming my childhood spirit, essentially mentally killing my current self and replacing the old me with a new one."

Achieving that is essentially on par with irreversible sacrifices, which Zhu Shi could never do.

From this perspective, even if Zhu Shi becomes Zhu Jiuxing again during her time in Saltwater City, it might still be difficult for her to voluntarily kill in the future, although I wonder if she realized this at the time. Of course, not being able to kill doesn’t mean not fighting. She could become akin to an American comic superhero who adheres strictly to a no-kill policy. Frankly, I think that might suit her well.

"I guess we’ll have to patiently wait for eight months," I said.

"It’s nine to ten months, Senior Brother Zhuang, are you mistaken or deliberately urging me?" Zhu Shi said.

"But nine to ten months is just eight months away, right?" I replied.

"Yet it feels completely different," Zhu Shi chuckled, "Could it be, Senior Brother Zhuang, are you feeling lonely, hoping for your junior to once again stand shoulder to shoulder with you on the front line?"

"Yes," I said without hesitation.

I’ve always been fighting solo, and I long for the camaraderie of entrusting my back to a comrade.

Zhu Shi teased, "Even though I know that’s not what you mean, admitting it in front of Mazao isn’t quite appropriate, is it?"

"Why not? The more forces around Zhuang Cheng, the better." Mazao said seriously.

"You two are really like wood, so why is your progress so quick when you’re together..." Zhu Shi said, exasperated.

"More importantly, there’s something on my mind right now..." I said.

"What is it?" Zhu Shi asked.

After pondering, I asked, "...If Ying Lingyun is destined to fail in reviving Yinyue, what do you think could be the reason?"

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