Chapter 52: The Answer
In the evening, Jiang Hong packed his luggage in the hotel, folding his and Lu Xiu's clothes.
Lu Xiu carried Jiang Hong's bag and placed it on the table.
"Old Sun," Jiang Hong said, "You'll stay at the Committee for this period, right? There's abundant spiritual energy here; you can cultivate slowly."
Old Sun said, "But I want to go to Guangzhou…"
"No, you don’t," Jiang Hong firmly stated, "You're too heavy. Carrying you in the backpack is like lugging a weight, and you get easily wet."
Old Sun felt rejected but had to accept the situation.
"What did you bring back today?" Old Sun asked.
"Don't ask," Jiang Hong thought of it and felt a headache coming on.
The prospect of going to the humid and warm south made Jiang Hong quite happy. Although interning at the Committee under two big bosses was a rare opportunity, it always felt a bit oppressive. Going on a business trip didn’t seem so bad, especially if Lu Xiu was also going – that was completely acceptable!
"Can I stay in your hotel?" Lu Xiu asked.
"Of course!" Jiang Hong was overjoyed to hear that Lu Xiu was also going on the trip, "Shall we share a room?"
Lu Xiu hummed in response and unzipped Jiang Hong's backpack.
“How should we deal with this head?” Jiang Hong suddenly remembered, saying, “We can’t possibly take it to Guangzhou.”
Old Sun: “Head? What head? Let me see…”
Lu Xiu replied, “Let me have a look first. I’ll negotiate with her.”
Lu Xiu first took out the pot and set it aside, then carefully removed Suddenly’s head and placed it properly.
Old Sun asked, “What are you?”
Suddenly: “?”
Old Sun: “…”
Suddenly: “What are you?”
Old Sun: “I am the Tmall Genie.”
Suddenly: “I am the God of Time.”
Old Sun: “You must be a part of the God of Time.”
Lu Xiu: “Can we turn off this speaker for now?”
Jiang Hong: "It can't be turned off... It turns on by itself. Old Sun, if you don't want to be thrown away by my senior, you better stop talking from now."
The room fell silent, and Jiang Hong noticed that Old Sun was quite sensible, knowing that he, Jiang Hong, was approachable, but Lu Xiu was not.
"Hello," Suddenly spoke again, "We meet again, as I said we would."
Lu Xiu took a deep breath, frowning, "Stealing a heavenly-grade magical artifact from the Committee, you know how serious the consequences are."
"Not just one," Suddenly said, "There are two."
Jiang Hong: "..."
Jiang Hong always forgot about the aluminum pot that made people invisible. In fact, he had started regretting today’s actions even before work ended – why did he, as if driven by madness, go to the treasury to take Suddenly out?
"What are you planning to do?" Lu Xiu asked, without uncovering the white cloth over Suddenly's head.
"If it were you, locked away in a dark place for over a hundred years, wouldn’t you want to leave?" Suddenly said.
Considering this, Suddenly seemed rather pitiable. Jiang Hong, while folding Lu Xiu's clothes, glanced at Suddenly, realizing the Committee seemed to have kept her confined in the treasury without her consent.
"She agreed to answer three questions for us," Jiang Hong remembered, "Do you have anything you want to ask? I’ll give my questions to you."
Lu Xiu added, "Her answers are selective; she won’t tell you directly but will give you a riddle to slowly figure out."
"It seems you have a vivid memory of our last inquiry," Suddenly responded.
Jiang Hong found the back-and-forth between the two quite interesting.
Lu Xiu added, "Moreover, she can't answer now. We must wait for the moment of the 'Nine Star Alignment.'"
Suddenly: "No, I can answer you anytime, anywhere. There's no need to wait for any special moment."
Lu Xiu: "???"
Suddenly: "I said that because, without limitations, those fools at the Committee would keep bothering me incessantly. To avoid answering their questions every moment, I set that condition."
Lu Xiu: "..."
Jiang Hong: "..."
Suddenly then said calmly, "Ask now. I promised you, Jiang Hong, that if you rescue me, I would answer three questions for you. I will answer these three questions seriously."
Jiang Hong, still organizing his belongings, curiously asked, "What are your plans next? This doesn't count as a real question, just casual conversation."
Suddenly: "Wait for the right moment to reform my body and regain my freedom. How to do it, I’ll tell you. Don’t worry; it won’t be difficult, just a simple task."
Jiang Hong seized the opportunity to bargain, "I agreed to rescue you and answer three questions. But helping you with this task, that requires extra compensation."
Lu Xiu: "Didn’t expect you to be a businessman."
Suddenly: "You will do it because it concerns your future."
Jiang Hong: "You have a sense of humor, Lu Xiu. What do you want to ask?"
Lu Xiu pondered silently for a moment, then as if realizing something, said to Jiang Hong, "Choose your questions wisely. Suddenly can't give very specific prophecies."
"Are all seers like this?" Jiang Hong paused his actions and asked, "Why can't they just be more straightforward?"
Suddenly answered, "Because too accurate answers can interfere with cause and effect, leading to errors in the answers themselves."
Lu Xiu explained, "It's like divination classes, which you will learn next semester. For example, if you divine 'when will this bus arrive' and get a very precise answer—thirty minutes later. You might not wait for the bus and choose to book a ride instead. The ride's journey could cause changes in traffic flow. These minor disturbances could ultimately prevent the bus from arriving at the predicted time of thirty minutes..."
"Oh—" Jiang Hong roughly understood, likening it to the butterfly effect.
Lu Xiu made a gesture: "From something as big as the weather to something as small as deciding what to eat, everything can be disturbed by the power of prophecy. Divination and prophecy are similar; in reality, there are countless futures. They simply choose the most likely future, including how it’s influenced by the prophecy."
Jiang Hong asked, "So, things that have already happened won't have this problem, right?"
"Not necessarily," Lu Xiu said. "The 'state' of things might change depending on the specific event asked about."
Suddenly patiently waited while Lu Xiu taught Jiang Hong, who seemed to half understand but decided not to dwell on it, saying, "Then shall we start asking?"
Suddenly spoke indifferently, "Ask away, what do you want to know? Just lift the cloth to ask."
Jiang Hong scratched his head, not having anything in particular he wanted to know, and looked at Lu Xiu.
Suddenly said, "Only one person's question can be answered at a time. The other must leave the room to minimize causal interference and disturbance."
Jiang Hong said, "We would tell each other afterwards anyway."
Suddenly replied, "That's not important."
Seeing Lu Xiu had something to ask, Jiang Hong said, "You go ahead?"
Lu Xiu pondered for a moment, then nodded without declining, saying, "Please step outside."
So, Jiang Hong got up and temporarily left the room, waiting in the hallway, playing with his phone. He saw selfies his roommates sent from their internships. Jin and He Jian had gone to the demon race's sacred land and sent a group photo, while Zhang Xiting was still working overtime at the Committee.
"The sacred land of the demon race looks beautiful!" Jiang Hong started to feel a bit regretful. Jin asked in their dorm group chat: [Is the internship fun?]
Jiang Hong texted: [It's been insanely exciting. I'll tell you all about it when I get back.]
He Jian replied: [Did you do your homework? Did you find any heavenly materials or earthly treasures?]
Jiang Hong's heart skipped a beat as he remembered the heavy workload for the semester.
Shortly after, Lu Xiu emerged from the room, saying, "It's your turn now."
Lu Xiu's expression was calm. Jiang Hong was curious about what he had asked, but as they passed each other, Lu Xiu casually ruffled his hair, as if he had much to say but left it unsaid.
Back in the room, Jiang Hong carefully lifted the cloth covering Suddenly's head.
"Wow!" Jiang Hong exclaimed in shock, "You’re so beautiful!"
A human head sitting on the table. The old Jiang Hong would have been terrified by such a sight, but after everything he had experienced, he felt somewhat numb.
Suddenly's features were incredibly delicate, with finely arched eyebrows, slightly curly hair, long eyelashes, and her eyes peacefully closed. Her face seemed to be covered with a layer of white powder, giving her a pale hue, and her lips were a light purple. Her features were frosty yet ethereal.
If she had a body, Surely must be a stunningly beautiful goddess.
"What's beneath your neck?" Jiang Hong asked curiously. "How do you speak without a trachea connected to lungs?"
Suddenly: "Don’t touch."
Suddenly opened her lake-blue eyes, immediately stopping Jiang Hong from examining the area below her neck.
"Oh, it's wrapped in foil," Jiang Hong mused, reminded of lamb chops on a baking tray.
"What do you want to ask?" Suddenly inquired.
After some thought, Jiang Hong realized there was probably only one question that really troubled him.
Jiang Hong asked, "After swapping fates with Yuan Shiyu, will I really die in a few years?"
Suddenly replied, "That question has already been asked by your loved one."
"He's not my loved one!" Jiang Hong immediately said, "Ah? Lu Xiu asked that?"
Suddenly: "Yes, I can only answer a question once."
Jiang Hong said "Oh" thoughtfully, then asked, "Then... under what circumstances will Lu Xiu and I be separated forever?"
Suddenly responded, "He asked that question too."
Jiang Hong: "Uh... he asked two questions?"
Suddenly: "No, he used a trick to indirectly get several answers. Try a different question."
Suddenly looked at Jiang Hong with open eyes, and suddenly blinked, giving her a sense of 'liveliness' and making her less of a chilling severed head.
Jiang Hong was quite curious about the answers Lu Xiu received but decided he could ask him later.
"Then..." Jiang Hong couldn't think of anything to ask, scratching his head, thinking that since he had caused quite a bit of trouble for Chen Zhen and An Jie, he might as well make amends.
"Who is the Deceiver infiltrating the Committee?" Jiang Hong asked.
"Many," Suddenly replied.
"Many... many?!" Jiang Hong was shocked. He had never taken An Jie and Chen Zhen's concerns seriously, thinking the Committee was just as it appeared on the surface. He hadn't expected it to be true. But what kind of answer was 'many'?
Not giving up, he pressed, "How many is 'many'? Can you tell me their names? That should count as one question, right?"
Suddenly answered, "Specifically answering this question would disturb the causal timeline."
"Oh? Really?" Jiang Hong wondered, but then his brain clicked, "Wait! Isn’t 'who is the undercover agent' an established fact? It already exists, like if someone is an undercover agent, and you point them out, can they just not be one anymore?"
"Yes," Suddenly answered emotionlessly, "That's how it is."
"Ah! What do you mean?! This is too confusing!" Jiang Hong exclaimed.
Suddenly just looked at Jiang Hong calmly. Jiang Hong said, "Could you at least give a hint? Like who the strongest enemy is, so I can warn Chen Zhen to be careful..."
At that moment, Lu Xiu suddenly entered the room, drawn by Jiang Hong’s shouting from outside.
In that final moment, Suddenly said, "Right beside you."
Jiang Hong, who had just turned to look at Lu Xiu, suddenly fell silent, then turned back to Suddenly: "What do you mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like," Suddenly answered.
Jiang Hong: "???"
Lu Xiu: "What are you asking her? Keep your voice down; the hallway isn’t very soundproof."
Jiang Hong, still puzzled, stared into Suddenly's eyes and said, "That's impossible!"
"It is what I saw with my own eyes," Suddenly's gaze seemed to pierce through Jiang Hong, looking into the void, "a figure amidst the fog."
Jiang Hong's expression turned very strange, and he glanced at Lu Xiu again.
"Next question," Suddenly said. "You already have your answer, no need to keep asking."
Jiang Hong thought: How could this be possible?! Was Suddenly referring to someone from the Committee who often interacts with me? An Jie? No, her words clearly pointed to Lu Xiu! How could Lu Xiu possibly be a Deceiver spy?!
As Lu Xiu was about to close the door, Jiang Hong called out, "Lu Xiu!"
Lu Xiu: "?"
Jiang Hong looked at Lu Xiu, who stood in the hallway, raising his eyebrows in inquiry. They just quietly looked at each other.
"What's wrong?" Lu Xiu took the initiative, "Are you scared?"
Lu Xiu walked in, gesturing for Jiang Hong to sit on the bed, while he sat beside him. Jiang Hong felt suddenly agitated and answered, "It's nothing."
Lu Xiu did not press Jiang Hong about what he had learned. Glancing at the luggage in the corner, he said, "Shall we end it here for now?"
Jiang Hong could save a question for another time. He needed time to think and digest the details revealed by Suddenly.
"Alright," Jiang Hong responded.
Suddenly remained quietly on the table. Lu Xiu said, “Go freshen up. I'll think of a way to hide her.”
As Jiang Hong was about to grab his toiletries from the suitcase, he noticed his artifact – the black ruler, sparking a new question in his mind.
Additionally, he saw the Tmall Genie, leading to two questions: First, what is the origin of this ruler? Second, what is the background of the Tmall Genie, Old Sun?
He hesitated between the two questions, then finally turned to Suddenly, "I've thought of the third matter, Suddenly."
Lu Xiu paused, about to leave, but Suddenly said, “Lu Xiu, this time, you can stay.”
"What is this?" Jiang Hong asked. "You taught me how to use it today. Can you tell me more about its functions?"
Suddenly answered, “This is the general outline of the 'Scripture of Everything', which you seized from the enemy during the explosion of the branching formation in the Demon Cave of Qilian Mountains.”
Jiang Hong: "!!!"
Lu Xiu: "..."
Both looked at Suddenly and then at the black ruler in Jiang Hong’s hand. Suddenly continued, “The 'Scripture of Everything' encompasses all methods. Its functionality depends on the bearer's understanding of the world. Today you tried it for the first time. The general outline has recognized you as its master. You might become the bearer of the 'Scripture of Everything', but first, you need to find the remaining four volumes: 'Method', 'Matter', 'Spirit', and 'Force'."
Lu Xiu frowned, "Is there really a Scripture of Everything?"
Jiang Hong questioned, "But why was such an important item so easily taken by me? Didn’t the enemy have any defenses against it?"
Suddenly responded, “Due to certain reasons, which you will understand later, the 'Scripture of Everything' also makes its own choices. Now, all questions have been answered. My eyes are weary from peering into the future and need rest.”
“Do you need eye drops?” Jiang Hong offered. “This Japanese eye drop is really soothing, gives a cooling sensation.”
Lu Xiu commented, “Putting eye drops in a head... only you would think of that.”
“Thank you,” Suddenly replied, “I'll try it.”
So, Jiang Hong administered the eye drops to Suddenly's head, while Lu Xiu watched the scene, utterly speechless.
Jiang Hong began to pack his things, taking out Old Sun and placing it aside, saying, “You can talk now. I’ll be back soon, don’t cause any trouble.”
Old Sun replied, “I’m just a speaker, without even legs, what trouble can I cause?”
Jiang Hong said, “It’s just a form of care! By the way... Lady Suddenly, uh, the omnipotent God of Time, could you possibly answer one more question? It’s okay if you don’t, I’m just curious, you might know offhand...”
“I know the origins of this device,” Suddenly spoke, “and even its future, but I can't tell you, as it would greatly disturb the flow. Everything in the universe is connected by fate, entangled in the turbulent streams of time.”
“Oh... really?” Jiang Hong looked at Old Sun and shrugged helplessly.
Old Sun seemed quite relaxed about it, asking, “What are you going to do with her?”
Suddenly added, “The Committee won’t notice my disappearance for a while, not until the next time the demon hunters come to ask questions. By then, this minor trouble will no longer be of importance to you.”
“Alright,” Jiang Hong said, securing Old Sun in place before taking out the black ruler, now known as the 'Scripture of Everything.'
Lu Xiu asked, “She taught you how to use it today?”
"Yes," Jiang Hong, with a toothbrush in his mouth and the Scripture of Everything in hand, channeled his modest magical power into it. It was like holding a conductor's baton. The world's backstage interface appeared again, with the scripture showing flame-like runes, and the environment around him was overlaid with grid lines, making everything exceptionally clear. It was as if he had opened an operational backstage.
"Can you see it?" Jiang Hong asked.
Lu Xiu shook his head; it seemed only Jiang Hong could see this world. Jiang Hong then described it, saying, "We need to hide Suddenly first, let me think..."
Turning around, Jiang Hong was startled to find that the area where Suddenly was had turned into a mist!
Lu Xiu: "..."
Jiang Hong: "Huh? Suddenly?"
Suddenly replied, "Thank you for rescuing me from that dark place, Jiang Hong."
Jiang Hong was terrified, blurting out, "What are you going to do?! Suddenly!"
Suddenly said, "We will not meet again. You are a kind child, and it is because of your kindness that this world has hope for redemption. Now, I must leave. Farewell, Jiang Hong."
"Wait!" Jiang Hong exclaimed, "You can’t just leave like this! What if the Committee finds out... I! @￥#%..."
With a 'buzz', Suddenly just dissipated on the spot!
Jiang Hong: "Oh no! Suddenly! Suddenly!"
Lu Xiu gestured, indicating, "Let it be."
Jiang Hong stood there stunned for a moment, exchanging looks with Lu Xiu.
"After all, she was a prisoner brought back by some demon hunter," Lu Xiu said, "Forced to stay in the Committee to foresee the future for perhaps hundreds, if not a thousand years. She has finally regained her freedom; let her go."
Lu Xiu clearly disapproved of the Committee's actions, but Jiang Hong was only afraid of causing trouble for Lu Xiu. Now, thinking about it, Suddenly did seem quite pitiful.
"What about this pot?" Lu Xiu asked, "It was also taken from the storeroom. The pot can't speak or run away."
"Oh, right." Jiang Hong picked up the pot and said, "It seems to have an invisibility function, but how come you could still see me? Can you see it now?"
Lu Xiu replied, "I can see it. Keep it safe and don't let the enemy discover it. When I have time, I'll ask about its origins."
Jiang Hong suggested, "I'll give it to Zhang Xiting later to take it back to school for me. Do you want to play with it, or can you keep it for me?"
Lu Xiu took the pot from Jiang Hong, saying, "I'll just have a look; the rest of the time, you keep it." He seemed to be pondering the recent events.
With that issue temporarily resolved, Jiang Hong put the pot in his bag and went upstairs to find Zhang Xiting.
Zhang Xiting, having just taken a shower, shirtless and wearing sports slippers, opened the door.
"Can you do me a favor?" Jiang Hong was a bit nervous, hoping not to cause trouble for Zhang Xiting. But for now, no one should be able to decrypt the copy-paste magic of the Scripture of Everything. As long as Zhang Xiting did as instructed, he wouldn't be discovered.
Zhang Xiting asked, "What's up? You seem secretive."
"I need to go on a business trip tomorrow," Jiang Hong said, "and we'll check out then. Can you keep this for me and take it back to school when you have time? Just put it on my bed in the dormitory."
Jiang Hong handed his bag to Zhang Xiting, noticing that another classmate, Cheng Jiu, was in the room, so he didn't go in.
"What is this?" asked Zhang Xiting.
Without opening the bag and looking puzzled, Jiang Hong said, "Don't let anyone from the Committee know about it, or I'll be in trouble."
Zhang Xiting: "……………………"
"It's very important," Jiang Hong said earnestly, "Bro, please do this for me!"
Zhang Xiting restrained his curiosity with all his might and never peeked inside the bag. He asked, "Is it a magical artifact?"
"Yes, yes," Jiang Hong replied. "I'll explain everything later."
Zhang Xiting readily agreed, saying, "I'll be heading back to Xi'an next week. I'll take it to school for you then."
Returning to his room, Jiang Hong saw Lu Xiu studying the black ruler named "Scripture of Everything."
"Do you want it?" Jiang Hong offered.
He was delighted that Lu Xiu showed interest in something of his. Since their reunion, it had always been Lu Xiu who prepared and took care of everything for him. Jiang Hong felt that nothing he had seemed to catch Lu Xiu's eye, until now, with this valuable item.
Lu Xiu looked helpless, his expression seemingly telling Jiang Hong: "You finally have something for self-defense, don’t give it away. Let's turn off the lights and sleep."
Jiang Hong stared at the Scripture of Everything for a while, then placed it on the bedside table. In the darkness, he pondered over Suddenly’s answer: What did it imply? Lu Xiu couldn't possibly be a spy for Hui Wu, yet in Suddenly's response, the identity of the spy seemed changeable.
Knowing Lu Xiu was also awake, Jiang Hong glanced at him.
"What did you ask Suddenly?" Jiang Hong whispered in the dark.
"I don’t want to say," Lu Xiu replied.
Jiang Hong expected this answer and didn't press further. Lu Xiu didn’t inquire about his question either.
Sometimes, Jiang Hong felt that Lu Xiu was somewhat detached, even distant. These moments had occurred several times during their interactions, yet they seemed to follow a particular pattern. When was the last time it happened?
Uncertain if it was a dream or a memory, Jiang Hong's thoughts drifted back to the day on the suspended walkway of Mount Hua... The wind howled as they walked on the path, Lu Xiu extending a hand towards the abyss.
"Will you protect me until I die?"
Jiang Hong didn't know why he had asked such a strange question that day.
At that moment, it seemed as if Lu Xiu got angry.
In the darkness, Jiang Hong was dozing off. He heard Lu Xiu say something and responded subconsciously, "Oh, Suddenly said that the spy of Hui Wu is right beside me."
Lu Xiu: "???"
Jiang Hong asked, "Is she talking about you?"
Lu Xiu: "Do you think that's possible?"
Jiang Hong mumbled, "Yeah..." and turned over to hug something. Lu Xiu slightly shifted, allowing Jiang Hong to happily embrace his waist like a pillow, and fell asleep.
"Jiang Hong?" Lu Xiu gently nudged Jiang Hong's head, but Jiang Hong was already asleep.
Chapter 52: The Answer
In the evening, Jiang Hong packed his luggage in the hotel, folding his and Lu Xiu's clothes.
Lu Xiu carried Jiang Hong's bag and placed it on the table.
"Old Sun," Jiang Hong said, "You'll stay at the Committee for this period, right? There's abundant spiritual energy here; you can cultivate slowly."
Old Sun said, "But I want to go to Guangzhou…"
"No, you don’t," Jiang Hong firmly stated, "You're too heavy. Carrying you in the backpack is like lugging a weight, and you get easily wet."
Old Sun felt rejected but had to accept the situation.
"What did you bring back today?" Old Sun asked.
"Don't ask," Jiang Hong thought of it and felt a headache coming on.
The prospect of going to the humid and warm south made Jiang Hong quite happy. Although interning at the Committee under two big bosses was a rare opportunity, it always felt a bit oppressive. Going on a business trip didn’t seem so bad, especially if Lu Xiu was also going – that was completely acceptable!
"Can I stay in your hotel?" Lu Xiu asked.
"Of course!" Jiang Hong was overjoyed to hear that Lu Xiu was also going on the trip, "Shall we share a room?"
Lu Xiu hummed in response and unzipped Jiang Hong's backpack.
“How should we deal with this head?” Jiang Hong suddenly remembered, saying, “We can’t possibly take it to Guangzhou.”
Old Sun: “Head? What head? Let me see…”
Lu Xiu replied, “Let me have a look first. I’ll negotiate with her.”
Lu Xiu first took out the pot and set it aside, then carefully removed Suddenly’s head and placed it properly.
Old Sun asked, “What are you?”
Suddenly: “?”
Old Sun: “…”
Suddenly: “What are you?”
Old Sun: “I am the Tmall Genie.”
Suddenly: “I am the God of Time.”
Old Sun: “You must be a part of the God of Time.”
Lu Xiu: “Can we turn off this speaker for now?”
Jiang Hong: "It can't be turned off... It turns on by itself. Old Sun, if you don't want to be thrown away by my senior, you better stop talking from now."
The room fell silent, and Jiang Hong noticed that Old Sun was quite sensible, knowing that he, Jiang Hong, was approachable, but Lu Xiu was not.
"Hello," Suddenly spoke again, "We meet again, as I said we would."
Lu Xiu took a deep breath, frowning, "Stealing a heavenly-grade magical artifact from the Committee, you know how serious the consequences are."
"Not just one," Suddenly said, "There are two."
Jiang Hong: "..."
Jiang Hong always forgot about the aluminum pot that made people invisible. In fact, he had started regretting today’s actions even before work ended – why did he, as if driven by madness, go to the treasury to take Suddenly out?
"What are you planning to do?" Lu Xiu asked, without uncovering the white cloth over Suddenly's head.
"If it were you, locked away in a dark place for over a hundred years, wouldn’t you want to leave?" Suddenly said.
Considering this, Suddenly seemed rather pitiable. Jiang Hong, while folding Lu Xiu's clothes, glanced at Suddenly, realizing the Committee seemed to have kept her confined in the treasury without her consent.
"She agreed to answer three questions for us," Jiang Hong remembered, "Do you have anything you want to ask? I’ll give my questions to you."
Lu Xiu added, "Her answers are selective; she won’t tell you directly but will give you a riddle to slowly figure out."
"It seems you have a vivid memory of our last inquiry," Suddenly responded.
Jiang Hong found the back-and-forth between the two quite interesting.
Lu Xiu added, "Moreover, she can't answer now. We must wait for the moment of the 'Nine Star Alignment.'"
Suddenly: "No, I can answer you anytime, anywhere. There's no need to wait for any special moment."
Lu Xiu: "???"
Suddenly: "I said that because, without limitations, those fools at the Committee would keep bothering me incessantly. To avoid answering their questions every moment, I set that condition."
Lu Xiu: "..."
Jiang Hong: "..."
Suddenly then said calmly, "Ask now. I promised you, Jiang Hong, that if you rescue me, I would answer three questions for you. I will answer these three questions seriously."
Jiang Hong, still organizing his belongings, curiously asked, "What are your plans next? This doesn't count as a real question, just casual conversation."
Suddenly: "Wait for the right moment to reform my body and regain my freedom. How to do it, I’ll tell you. Don’t worry; it won’t be difficult, just a simple task."
Jiang Hong seized the opportunity to bargain, "I agreed to rescue you and answer three questions. But helping you with this task, that requires extra compensation."
Lu Xiu: "Didn’t expect you to be a businessman."
Suddenly: "You will do it because it concerns your future."
Jiang Hong: "You have a sense of humor, Lu Xiu. What do you want to ask?"
Lu Xiu pondered silently for a moment, then as if realizing something, said to Jiang Hong, "Choose your questions wisely. Suddenly can't give very specific prophecies."
"Are all seers like this?" Jiang Hong paused his actions and asked, "Why can't they just be more straightforward?"
Suddenly answered, "Because too accurate answers can interfere with cause and effect, leading to errors in the answers themselves."
Lu Xiu explained, "It's like divination classes, which you will learn next semester. For example, if you divine 'when will this bus arrive' and get a very precise answer—thirty minutes later. You might not wait for the bus and choose to book a ride instead. The ride's journey could cause changes in traffic flow. These minor disturbances could ultimately prevent the bus from arriving at the predicted time of thirty minutes..."
"Oh—" Jiang Hong roughly understood, likening it to the butterfly effect.
Lu Xiu made a gesture: "From something as big as the weather to something as small as deciding what to eat, everything can be disturbed by the power of prophecy. Divination and prophecy are similar; in reality, there are countless futures. They simply choose the most likely future, including how it’s influenced by the prophecy."
Jiang Hong asked, "So, things that have already happened won't have this problem, right?"
"Not necessarily," Lu Xiu said. "The 'state' of things might change depending on the specific event asked about."
Suddenly patiently waited while Lu Xiu taught Jiang Hong, who seemed to half understand but decided not to dwell on it, saying, "Then shall we start asking?"
Suddenly spoke indifferently, "Ask away, what do you want to know? Just lift the cloth to ask."
Jiang Hong scratched his head, not having anything in particular he wanted to know, and looked at Lu Xiu.
Suddenly said, "Only one person's question can be answered at a time. The other must leave the room to minimize causal interference and disturbance."
Jiang Hong said, "We would tell each other afterwards anyway."
Suddenly replied, "That's not important."
Seeing Lu Xiu had something to ask, Jiang Hong said, "You go ahead?"
Lu Xiu pondered for a moment, then nodded without declining, saying, "Please step outside."
So, Jiang Hong got up and temporarily left the room, waiting in the hallway, playing with his phone. He saw selfies his roommates sent from their internships. Jin and He Jian had gone to the demon race's sacred land and sent a group photo, while Zhang Xiting was still working overtime at the Committee.
"The sacred land of the demon race looks beautiful!" Jiang Hong started to feel a bit regretful. Jin asked in their dorm group chat: [Is the internship fun?]
Jiang Hong texted: [It's been insanely exciting. I'll tell you all about it when I get back.]
He Jian replied: [Did you do your homework? Did you find any heavenly materials or earthly treasures?]
Jiang Hong's heart skipped a beat as he remembered the heavy workload for the semester.
Shortly after, Lu Xiu emerged from the room, saying, "It's your turn now."
Lu Xiu's expression was calm. Jiang Hong was curious about what he had asked, but as they passed each other, Lu Xiu casually ruffled his hair, as if he had much to say but left it unsaid.
Back in the room, Jiang Hong carefully lifted the cloth covering Suddenly's head.
"Wow!" Jiang Hong exclaimed in shock, "You’re so beautiful!"
A human head sitting on the table. The old Jiang Hong would have been terrified by such a sight, but after everything he had experienced, he felt somewhat numb.
Suddenly's features were incredibly delicate, with finely arched eyebrows, slightly curly hair, long eyelashes, and her eyes peacefully closed. Her face seemed to be covered with a layer of white powder, giving her a pale hue, and her lips were a light purple. Her features were frosty yet ethereal.
If she had a body, Surely must be a stunningly beautiful goddess.
"What's beneath your neck?" Jiang Hong asked curiously. "How do you speak without a trachea connected to lungs?"
Suddenly: "Don’t touch."
Suddenly opened her lake-blue eyes, immediately stopping Jiang Hong from examining the area below her neck.
"Oh, it's wrapped in foil," Jiang Hong mused, reminded of lamb chops on a baking tray.
"What do you want to ask?" Suddenly inquired.
After some thought, Jiang Hong realized there was probably only one question that really troubled him.
Jiang Hong asked, "After swapping fates with Yuan Shiyu, will I really die in a few years?"
Suddenly replied, "That question has already been asked by your loved one."
"He's not my loved one!" Jiang Hong immediately said, "Ah? Lu Xiu asked that?"
Suddenly: "Yes, I can only answer a question once."
Jiang Hong said "Oh" thoughtfully, then asked, "Then... under what circumstances will Lu Xiu and I be separated forever?"
Suddenly responded, "He asked that question too."
Jiang Hong: "Uh... he asked two questions?"
Suddenly: "No, he used a trick to indirectly get several answers. Try a different question."
Suddenly looked at Jiang Hong with open eyes, and suddenly blinked, giving her a sense of 'liveliness' and making her less of a chilling severed head.
Jiang Hong was quite curious about the answers Lu Xiu received but decided he could ask him later.
"Then..." Jiang Hong couldn't think of anything to ask, scratching his head, thinking that since he had caused quite a bit of trouble for Chen Zhen and An Jie, he might as well make amends.
"Who is the Deceiver infiltrating the Committee?" Jiang Hong asked.
"Many," Suddenly replied.
"Many... many?!" Jiang Hong was shocked. He had never taken An Jie and Chen Zhen's concerns seriously, thinking the Committee was just as it appeared on the surface. He hadn't expected it to be true. But what kind of answer was 'many'?
Not giving up, he pressed, "How many is 'many'? Can you tell me their names? That should count as one question, right?"
Suddenly answered, "Specifically answering this question would disturb the causal timeline."
"Oh? Really?" Jiang Hong wondered, but then his brain clicked, "Wait! Isn’t 'who is the undercover agent' an established fact? It already exists, like if someone is an undercover agent, and you point them out, can they just not be one anymore?"
"Yes," Suddenly answered emotionlessly, "That's how it is."
"Ah! What do you mean?! This is too confusing!" Jiang Hong exclaimed.
Suddenly just looked at Jiang Hong calmly. Jiang Hong said, "Could you at least give a hint? Like who the strongest enemy is, so I can warn Chen Zhen to be careful..."
At that moment, Lu Xiu suddenly entered the room, drawn by Jiang Hong’s shouting from outside.
In that final moment, Suddenly said, "Right beside you."
Jiang Hong, who had just turned to look at Lu Xiu, suddenly fell silent, then turned back to Suddenly: "What do you mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like," Suddenly answered.
Jiang Hong: "???"
Lu Xiu: "What are you asking her? Keep your voice down; the hallway isn’t very soundproof."
Jiang Hong, still puzzled, stared into Suddenly's eyes and said, "That's impossible!"
"It is what I saw with my own eyes," Suddenly's gaze seemed to pierce through Jiang Hong, looking into the void, "a figure amidst the fog."
Jiang Hong's expression turned very strange, and he glanced at Lu Xiu again.
"Next question," Suddenly said. "You already have your answer, no need to keep asking."
Jiang Hong thought: How could this be possible?! Was Suddenly referring to someone from the Committee who often interacts with me? An Jie? No, her words clearly pointed to Lu Xiu! How could Lu Xiu possibly be a Deceiver spy?!
As Lu Xiu was about to close the door, Jiang Hong called out, "Lu Xiu!"
Lu Xiu: "?"
Jiang Hong looked at Lu Xiu, who stood in the hallway, raising his eyebrows in inquiry. They just quietly looked at each other.
"What's wrong?" Lu Xiu took the initiative, "Are you scared?"
Lu Xiu walked in, gesturing for Jiang Hong to sit on the bed, while he sat beside him. Jiang Hong felt suddenly agitated and answered, "It's nothing."
Lu Xiu did not press Jiang Hong about what he had learned. Glancing at the luggage in the corner, he said, "Shall we end it here for now?"
Jiang Hong could save a question for another time. He needed time to think and digest the details revealed by Suddenly.
"Alright," Jiang Hong responded.
Suddenly remained quietly on the table. Lu Xiu said, “Go freshen up. I'll think of a way to hide her.”
As Jiang Hong was about to grab his toiletries from the suitcase, he noticed his artifact – the black ruler, sparking a new question in his mind.
Additionally, he saw the Tmall Genie, leading to two questions: First, what is the origin of this ruler? Second, what is the background of the Tmall Genie, Old Sun?
He hesitated between the two questions, then finally turned to Suddenly, "I've thought of the third matter, Suddenly."
Lu Xiu paused, about to leave, but Suddenly said, “Lu Xiu, this time, you can stay.”
"What is this?" Jiang Hong asked. "You taught me how to use it today. Can you tell me more about its functions?"
Suddenly answered, “This is the general outline of the 'Scripture of Everything', which you seized from the enemy during the explosion of the branching formation in the Demon Cave of Qilian Mountains.”
Jiang Hong: "!!!"
Lu Xiu: "..."
Both looked at Suddenly and then at the black ruler in Jiang Hong’s hand. Suddenly continued, “The 'Scripture of Everything' encompasses all methods. Its functionality depends on the bearer's understanding of the world. Today you tried it for the first time. The general outline has recognized you as its master. You might become the bearer of the 'Scripture of Everything', but first, you need to find the remaining four volumes: 'Method', 'Matter', 'Spirit', and 'Force'."
Lu Xiu frowned, "Is there really a Scripture of Everything?"
Jiang Hong questioned, "But why was such an important item so easily taken by me? Didn’t the enemy have any defenses against it?"
Suddenly responded, “Due to certain reasons, which you will understand later, the 'Scripture of Everything' also makes its own choices. Now, all questions have been answered. My eyes are weary from peering into the future and need rest.”
“Do you need eye drops?” Jiang Hong offered. “This Japanese eye drop is really soothing, gives a cooling sensation.”
Lu Xiu commented, “Putting eye drops in a head... only you would think of that.”
“Thank you,” Suddenly replied, “I'll try it.”
So, Jiang Hong administered the eye drops to Suddenly's head, while Lu Xiu watched the scene, utterly speechless.
Jiang Hong began to pack his things, taking out Old Sun and placing it aside, saying, “You can talk now. I’ll be back soon, don’t cause any trouble.”
Old Sun replied, “I’m just a speaker, without even legs, what trouble can I cause?”
Jiang Hong said, “It’s just a form of care! By the way... Lady Suddenly, uh, the omnipotent God of Time, could you possibly answer one more question? It’s okay if you don’t, I’m just curious, you might know offhand...”
“I know the origins of this device,” Suddenly spoke, “and even its future, but I can't tell you, as it would greatly disturb the flow. Everything in the universe is connected by fate, entangled in the turbulent streams of time.”
“Oh... really?” Jiang Hong looked at Old Sun and shrugged helplessly.
Old Sun seemed quite relaxed about it, asking, “What are you going to do with her?”
Suddenly added, “The Committee won’t notice my disappearance for a while, not until the next time the demon hunters come to ask questions. By then, this minor trouble will no longer be of importance to you.”
“Alright,” Jiang Hong said, securing Old Sun in place before taking out the black ruler, now known as the 'Scripture of Everything.'
Lu Xiu asked, “She taught you how to use it today?”
"Yes," Jiang Hong, with a toothbrush in his mouth and the Scripture of Everything in hand, channeled his modest magical power into it. It was like holding a conductor's baton. The world's backstage interface appeared again, with the scripture showing flame-like runes, and the environment around him was overlaid with grid lines, making everything exceptionally clear. It was as if he had opened an operational backstage.
"Can you see it?" Jiang Hong asked.
Lu Xiu shook his head; it seemed only Jiang Hong could see this world. Jiang Hong then described it, saying, "We need to hide Suddenly first, let me think..."
Turning around, Jiang Hong was startled to find that the area where Suddenly was had turned into a mist!
Lu Xiu: "..."
Jiang Hong: "Huh? Suddenly?"
Suddenly replied, "Thank you for rescuing me from that dark place, Jiang Hong."
Jiang Hong was terrified, blurting out, "What are you going to do?! Suddenly!"
Suddenly said, "We will not meet again. You are a kind child, and it is because of your kindness that this world has hope for redemption. Now, I must leave. Farewell, Jiang Hong."
"Wait!" Jiang Hong exclaimed, "You can’t just leave like this! What if the Committee finds out... I! @￥#%..."
With a 'buzz', Suddenly just dissipated on the spot!
Jiang Hong: "Oh no! Suddenly! Suddenly!"
Lu Xiu gestured, indicating, "Let it be."
Jiang Hong stood there stunned for a moment, exchanging looks with Lu Xiu.
"After all, she was a prisoner brought back by some demon hunter," Lu Xiu said, "Forced to stay in the Committee to foresee the future for perhaps hundreds, if not a thousand years. She has finally regained her freedom; let her go."
Lu Xiu clearly disapproved of the Committee's actions, but Jiang Hong was only afraid of causing trouble for Lu Xiu. Now, thinking about it, Suddenly did seem quite pitiful.
"What about this pot?" Lu Xiu asked, "It was also taken from the storeroom. The pot can't speak or run away."
"Oh, right." Jiang Hong picked up the pot and said, "It seems to have an invisibility function, but how come you could still see me? Can you see it now?"
Lu Xiu replied, "I can see it. Keep it safe and don't let the enemy discover it. When I have time, I'll ask about its origins."
Jiang Hong suggested, "I'll give it to Zhang Xiting later to take it back to school for me. Do you want to play with it, or can you keep it for me?"
Lu Xiu took the pot from Jiang Hong, saying, "I'll just have a look; the rest of the time, you keep it." He seemed to be pondering the recent events.
With that issue temporarily resolved, Jiang Hong put the pot in his bag and went upstairs to find Zhang Xiting.
Zhang Xiting, having just taken a shower, shirtless and wearing sports slippers, opened the door.
"Can you do me a favor?" Jiang Hong was a bit nervous, hoping not to cause trouble for Zhang Xiting. But for now, no one should be able to decrypt the copy-paste magic of the Scripture of Everything. As long as Zhang Xiting did as instructed, he wouldn't be discovered.
Zhang Xiting asked, "What's up? You seem secretive."
"I need to go on a business trip tomorrow," Jiang Hong said, "and we'll check out then. Can you keep this for me and take it back to school when you have time? Just put it on my bed in the dormitory."
Jiang Hong handed his bag to Zhang Xiting, noticing that another classmate, Cheng Jiu, was in the room, so he didn't go in.
"What is this?" asked Zhang Xiting.
Without opening the bag and looking puzzled, Jiang Hong said, "Don't let anyone from the Committee know about it, or I'll be in trouble."
Zhang Xiting: "……………………"
"It's very important," Jiang Hong said earnestly, "Bro, please do this for me!"
Zhang Xiting restrained his curiosity with all his might and never peeked inside the bag. He asked, "Is it a magical artifact?"
"Yes, yes," Jiang Hong replied. "I'll explain everything later."
Zhang Xiting readily agreed, saying, "I'll be heading back to Xi'an next week. I'll take it to school for you then."
Returning to his room, Jiang Hong saw Lu Xiu studying the black ruler named "Scripture of Everything."
"Do you want it?" Jiang Hong offered.
He was delighted that Lu Xiu showed interest in something of his. Since their reunion, it had always been Lu Xiu who prepared and took care of everything for him. Jiang Hong felt that nothing he had seemed to catch Lu Xiu's eye, until now, with this valuable item.
Lu Xiu looked helpless, his expression seemingly telling Jiang Hong: "You finally have something for self-defense, don’t give it away. Let's turn off the lights and sleep."
Jiang Hong stared at the Scripture of Everything for a while, then placed it on the bedside table. In the darkness, he pondered over Suddenly’s answer: What did it imply? Lu Xiu couldn't possibly be a spy for Hui Wu, yet in Suddenly's response, the identity of the spy seemed changeable.
Knowing Lu Xiu was also awake, Jiang Hong glanced at him.
"What did you ask Suddenly?" Jiang Hong whispered in the dark.
"I don’t want to say," Lu Xiu replied.
Jiang Hong expected this answer and didn't press further. Lu Xiu didn’t inquire about his question either.
Sometimes, Jiang Hong felt that Lu Xiu was somewhat detached, even distant. These moments had occurred several times during their interactions, yet they seemed to follow a particular pattern. When was the last time it happened?
Uncertain if it was a dream or a memory, Jiang Hong's thoughts drifted back to the day on the suspended walkway of Mount Hua... The wind howled as they walked on the path, Lu Xiu extending a hand towards the abyss.
"Will you protect me until I die?"
Jiang Hong didn't know why he had asked such a strange question that day.
At that moment, it seemed as if Lu Xiu got angry.
In the darkness, Jiang Hong was dozing off. He heard Lu Xiu say something and responded subconsciously, "Oh, Suddenly said that the spy of Hui Wu is right beside me."
Lu Xiu: "???"
Jiang Hong asked, "Is she talking about you?"
Lu Xiu: "Do you think that's possible?"
Jiang Hong mumbled, "Yeah..." and turned over to hug something. Lu Xiu slightly shifted, allowing Jiang Hong to happily embrace his waist like a pillow, and fell asleep.
"Jiang Hong?" Lu Xiu gently nudged Jiang Hong's head, but Jiang Hong was already asleep.
