Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 474 - 444 Mazao’s reply

Chapter 474: 444 Mazao’s reply

After listening to my explanation, Zhu Shi showed an expression of sudden enlightenment.

Soon, I found Mazao together with Zhu Shi at my residence in the Luoshan Headquarters. We handed over the "preacher’s" head to her and explained its origin.

Mazao used her abilities and very carefully investigated the contents of the head. With her current skills, thoroughly investigating this target, which had only achieved level due to the seed of the heart during its lifetime, was a quick task. Before long, she finished her investigation and revealed a frustrated expression.

"The historical record information contained within this head on the level of mysticism has been blocked by an incredibly powerful force," she said. "Preliminary estimates suggest it’s a force at the level of Impermanence. There’s no way I can break through this power to trace its past."

It must be the doing of the Taoyuan Village Master.

He made a move against me while relying on his avatar in the "Paradise" exclusion zone and simultaneously erased and dealt with the "preacher" linked to "Paradise" from a distance.

If he would do such a thing, it means he clearly knows that we would use historical investigation skill to track clues through the "preacher’s" remains. Luoshan is full of talents, and Mazao is not the only one who holds the historical investigation skill, yet such targeted prevention has sparked my thoughts— perhaps he knows about Mazao on our side, which is why he acted this way.

We hadn’t particularly hidden the powers Mazao possesses, but the result was that most people only knew she had a return-type power of the strange, whereas almost only we ourselves knew she had historical investigation skills. Although Lu Youxun in the past had learned about this during his investigation of the Human Bureau’s secret base, according to him now, he hadn’t found the opportunity to relay this information to Mingzhuo’s Influence.

So, if the Taoyuan Village Master was specifically guarding against Mazao, through what channels did he learn the details of her power?

For instance, is there an unknown person who understands Mazao’s powers and stands alongside the Taoyuan Village Master to provide relevant information?

I immediately thought of the unknown Blessed Monk who handed over the prototype of future technology to Ying Lingyun.

Since this unknown Blessed Monk would collaborate with Ying Lingyun, it’s reasonable to assume he might also cooperate with Ying Lingyun’s associates.

Although this is all speculative without evidence, based on experience, I believe there’s a considerable possibility that cannot be ignored in this matter.

The unknown Blessed Monk is a character associated with the Doomsday issue, and the Taoyuan Village Master is associated with the Shan Liangyi issue. Meanwhile, Mazao’s calamity-attracting constitution tends to gather seemingly unrelated clues and events, each stirring up before the previous one settles, leaving one overwhelmed and unprepared. I believe it is a force akin to a vortex of fate.

Thus, even if we can’t extract useful clues from the "preacher’s" head, I don’t feel a hint of disappointment. Not for a moment did I think the thread would break. Even if I can’t follow the clues to reach the events, they will come to me proactively.

Whether to get the clues only affects whether I can make preparations and countermeasures beforehand before the event unfolds, and if I can thereby seize the initiative.

I comforted Mazao, who was feeling inadequate, while Zhu Shi attempted to change the subject, seemingly wanting to divert from the "matter we talked about last night." It is somewhat absurd; I am not only to engage in "that sort of thing" with "another woman" but must also proactively report it in front of the one I agreed on a romantic relationship with.

Not to mention whether such a request is reasonable, I’ve stepped out of the ambiguous atmosphere of last night and begun to reflect if I am being too self-indulgent. Mazao has already made accommodations for me in many respects, is it too much to take even more?

The arrow is nocked; not releasing would be inappropriate, and retreating at the last moment is even more so. Zhu Shi seemed hesitant and timid, so I chose to take the first step.

Regardless, things must be clarified. After clarification, I thought not to insist on Mazao’s willingness but to cut it off myself— I thought so originally, not expecting Mazao to show a strange expression after hearing my words.

Mazao looked at Zhu Shi with a face full of surprise. Zhu Shi appeared embarrassed and flustered, like a "mistress" caught at the scene of an affair by a legitimate girlfriend. I’m not even sure what reaction a "mistress" would have in such a scenario. Zhu Shi likely had prepared many drafts, yet became utterly incoherent at this moment.

"That’s not how it is, Mazao..." Zhu Shi seemed to struggle in her defense, "I just think that you’re still too young, while Senior Brother Zhuang’s desires are unfulfilled, and you can’t handle them yet, so I wanted to sacrifice myself to feed the tiger... No, what sacrifice to feed the tiger, I mean to help you check... Hold on, how did I become this ’friend-stealing’ character? Agh, wait! What was I trying to say initially..."

She actually fell into a bizarre pit of self-mockery mid-defense.

Then Mazao turned to me with a puzzled expression and asked in confusion, "So you two haven’t done it yet?"

"...What?" Zhu Shi was stunned.

"I thought you two had certainly done it many times in the recent month..." Mazao said, "Didn’t you say you were going to have children? Without doing it, how do you expect to have children?"

"Hold on, hold on..."

Zhu Shi held her forehead, first halting, then after a long pause, she continued, "Mazao, though Senior Brother Zhuang and I are engaged, we haven’t married yet. Didn’t we say that my marriage with Senior Brother Zhuang would wait until you and Senior Brother Zhuang officially become a couple... So even if there is such a matter, it doesn’t mean we should have children now, right?"

Mazao thought for a moment, then asked, "Must having children wait until after marriage? Can’t you have children without marrying? That seems rather inconvenient..."

"No... Do we really have to start explaining from here?" Zhu Shi revealed a baffled expression.

We really underestimated Mazao’s lack of common sense.

Mazao earnestly said, "Right, you also mentioned just now, that although you intend to do ’that sort of thing’, you would take contraceptive measures... Can you not use contraception?"

Zhu Shi turned, revealing a look pleading for help: "Senior Brother Zhuang..."

"Mazao, I understand your eagerness to have Little Bowl born soon, but Zhu Shi is just a freshman in college now, surely she can’t be going to class with a big belly?" I explained.

"That’s true... But isn’t Zhu Shi attending a normal school? In that case, couldn’t she use illusion technique to cover it up?" Mazao thought for a bit, then said, "Although Zhu Shi herself can’t perform illusion techniques, Luoshan should have a lot of props like Fake Water Moon, using those illusion props to create the illusion of ’although Zhu Shi’s belly is getting bigger, everything seems normal to her classmates’..."

Zhu Shi covered her face with her hands: "No, what kind of weird play is that..."

"Is it not possible? Did I say something too much? I’m sorry..." Mazao admitted her mistake obediently.

In any case, Mazao seems to have no opinions about the events between Zhu Shi and me.

-

Later I went to find Lu Chan.

He was at the temple construction site, overseeing the work of remodeling the temple structure. My reason for finding him was related to the emergence of a traitor within Mingzhuo’s Influence.

I sensed that my forthcoming actions might deeply intertwine with this matter. Previously aligned with Mingzhuo’s Influence, Lu Chan could probably still have connections or retain some contacts there, potentially helping me access important clues.

After listening to my words, Lu Chan first wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, then sighed, "When you suddenly asked me, ’Are you still in contact with Mingzhuo’s Influence people,’ I thought you couldn’t hold back anymore and were finding an excuse to settle accounts with me..."

"You can rest assured on this point. Though many seem to perceive you as untrustworthy, I have never doubted your position. If you were to betray me, it would surely not be because you sided with Mingzhuo’s Influence but because I became someone like Mingzhuo," I said.

Lu Chan appeared slightly moved, then replied, "...Thank you for your trust."

"Then... what is your answer to the earlier inquiry?" I inquired.

"You will hear good news soon," Lu Chan said.

"I will look forward to that," I remarked, "By the way, what’s being done here?"

Lu Chan followed my gaze to the temple building under renovation and answered, "Originally, this was a temporarily leased blank-slate temple used as a place of worship. Now, it is being renovated into a dedicated temple aligning with your style. If this style suits, similar-styled temples will be constructed in other regions.

"Considering Luoshan’s gradual entry into the secular world, the faith in Impermanence is bound to permeate society. You should expect to see temples specifically consecrating you in cities everywhere. For instance, in our current plan, your hometown, Saltwater City, will certainly have numerous temples and statues dedicated to you.

"I believe a temple dedicated to you should also be established within Saltwater University, placing a statue of you alongside one of the goddess Zhu Shi, erected within the first half of this year. What do you think?"

Even I couldn’t help but be stunned by such a devilish idea, "Are you trying to take revenge on Zhu Shi for too often being sharp-tongued with you?"

If he were to succeed in doing this, then Xiaoqiao wouldn’t even need to set up tablets of Zhu Shi and me at home anymore. She could just burn incense in the university temple every day before and after classes— while pulling along her dear friend Zhu Shi under the watchful eyes of all the faculty and students.

Lu Chan leisurely smiled and then produced a sheet of paper, saying, "We’ve also designed a ’Zhuang Cheng Faith’ totem symbol recently, and we would like you, God, to take a look at it."