The air was thick with a cold, bleak chill.
A frigid wind scraped over the skin of the two men and the bird. The little enamel bird turned its head to glance at Shegui, spread its wings, and pulled out a business card.
Tick. Shegui felt a sudden weight sink in the atmosphere, forced himself to swallow.
Then, in the instant Yang Zicang’s pupils sharply contracted, the metal, cuckoo lark body swished forward— flickering directly in front of Shegui.
“Wait—” Yang Zicang stiffly extended a hand.
“Please keep it.“
With a flick of its head, Little Cuckoo dropped the card right onto the knee of the man whose body had snapped tight.
Yang Zicang’s outstretched hand still hung frozen in midair.
“Cuckoo-cuckoo lark-bye. Bya… Cylederlact?“
The buzzing chill wind scoured past the outside of the flying carpet.
“This… is it? ” Having witnessed Yang Zicang’s Ether Business Card, Shegui recognized the object at a glance. Having dealt with materials year-round, he subconsciously reached out to touch it. “Huh, this material seems… well, ” he shot a glance at Yang Zicang, “it’s a bit different from other cards. This grass… is it just… regular grass? “
“Not ordinary at all! “
The small metal bird chirped loudly: “This is grass grown in a special environment. Hmph, I can smell the taint of Chaos Bloodline on you — you frequent places like this, don’t you? From now on, you’ll have to keep an eye out for materials of this sort. Understand? “
“Got it. ” Shegui responded automatically.
“Good. As for the material costs, ” the Cuckoo-and-Little-Bird creature said without turning its head, pointing vaguely at Yang Zicang, who stood ready, “that person will pay. “
Yang Zicang’s gaze flickered in slight surprise.
The Cuckoo-and-Little-Bird, Biyak-de, suddenly pivoted on the spot and stared at him malevolently.
“What. Already believe him? You think our business is over? Frankly, right now I feel like handing you over to my client. But well… “
It flicked out its little tongue and licked its beak.
“Tell me — where do those delicious cocktails in your inn get their scent? “
“Uh? ” Yang Zicang had not expected this question from the bird at all. Catching that earnest, eager look lurking beneath its stern expression, he furrowed his newly-grown, fine brows. “You want some? I can bring a few out for you. “
“That’s wonderful… ” The Cuckoo’s expression suddenly changed from surprise, and it straightened its face, saying, “Hmph, very well, let’s leave it at that. This time, bring me a bottle, and I’ll let you off the hook for these two weeks. ” As it spoke, it licked its beak again.
Whether true or false, Yang Zicang felt a slight relief in his heart. He still wasn’t ready to face “Soldier No.4, ” but hiding in the inn forever was no solution either.
“Um, may I ask… how did you get here? ” Shegui inquired, vaguely guessing that this “hero ” beside him had gone to such great lengths to take a detour in order to avoid this strange little creature.
“How did I get here? Why, I flew, of course. Heh, don’t think I’m a fool. By taking my business card, you’ve already left the scent of my Aether Beacon on you. Finding you isn’t hard at all… “
Terrified, Shegui dropped the business card in his hand onto the flying carpet.
“Too late! ” The little bird zipped over, yanked it up, and stashed it under its wing, where it vanished. “Forget it then. But if you don’t get me the materials, just ask that ‘Wild Runner’ what the consequences are. “
The two of them traveled on, looking deflated as withered eggplants, their bodies swaying along with the little bird darting left and right across the carpet, all the way to the border of Hydrapower City in the Grand Duchy. By the time they arrived, it was already the morning of the next day.
“What a piece of cake. Never thought I, Cuckoo, would get to ride on a flying carpet one day. “
“Sigh… ” The two humans sighed in unison. Yang Zicang maneuvered the flying carpet down towards this desolate mountain peak, where the shade of the trees finally enveloped the pair who had been basking under the morning sun.
“I’m going to get some water to wash my face, ” Shegui said as he walked out of the woods.
“Don’t even think about running away. “
The thin-shouldered man’s figure trembled slightly as he walked away. “I won’t leave. “
The enamel-colored little Cuckoo flickered, carrying ripples of energy as it landed on a branch.
“Don’t try any tricks with me, human. I’ll be watching you every moment. Dare to have any crooked thoughts, and someone will come to deal with you. “
It pulled a business card from under its wing and tossed it away. With ashwoop, it flapped its wings and vanished into thin air. Yang Zicang watched the card flutter down and land by his feet.
He squinted, staring at it.
“If you don’t pick it up… ” The bird’s voice suddenly appeared right by his ear. “I’ll notify my big client! “
Yang Zicang swatted his palm over.
That figure had already vanished into the energy ripples. Letting out a breath, he took two steps, bent down, and picked up the small business card—barely two knuckles long.
｛I have touched Cuckoo “Iron-Bound Quill’s ” “Ether Beacon Business Card. “｝
-｛Distributor February. Di’an has given me a “Low Rating. “｝
-｛Distributor Tatar Mingqi indicates “Complete Defeat. “｝
“Phew~ ” Yang Zicang turned his head and saw the paranoid Shegui walking back. “Where’s that bird? “
“The deal’s done. He’s gone. “
“Oh, that’s good. ” Shegui felt a tension he had never experienced before, staring warily into the shadows. He didn’t know why—his instincts screamed it felt exactly like what those classmates who’d been through a lot had described.
“We’re not far from the factory I mentioned. Let’s just walk there. “
Yang Zicang felt that this man knew quite a bit about the Fog People and the Crossing People.
-｛Distributor April·Odyssey said: I am gestating the prelude to a brand new glory.｝
The sunlight grew fiercer on the road; these two days had finally seen the temperature rise without restraint.
“Up ahead are the ruins. “
The vast expanse of white-roofed factory buildings loomed like the carcasses of colossal beasts, rebar skeletons rusted to an auburn-brown, stubbornly piercing through the peeling concrete walls.
“These factories were abandoned long ago. If it weren’t for the Nightmare being spawned here, they would’ve been torn down and repurposed ages ago. “
“Seems like the villagers are staying cautiously skeptical of the official propaganda. “
Yang Zicang’s leather heel tread across a signpost covered in a layer of crusted black grime.
—Biohazard. Keep Out.
Behind the text was a painted, distorted long-eyed boat—basically the unofficial nightmare warning emblem.
A pity his own phone had turned into that same monster; otherwise, he’d have definitely snapped a picture. Yang Zicang almost irrationally missed the photos stored on his phone and the numbers in his address book—each one a jumble of half-remembered digits.
The man beside him kept introducing the situation here as the two carefully stepped around a puddle shimmering with oily water and moved forward.
“Hey~! You two over there, don’t go any further! It’s dangerous! “
A figure in an old twill cotton shirt leaned out from a hillside on the side, shaking a small flag tied with a cloth strip in his hand.
“That’s Slawomir·Heller! “
Shegui immediately recognized that person, “Hey, it’s me! Long·Grzegorz! “
The man was startled, carefully examined the two of them, then ran down the slope with two others, shouting as they ran:
“Don’t go any further for heaven’s sake! “
Soon, the three men in wear-resistant jackets, of varying heights—one tall and lean, one coarse, one shorter—gasped for air as they arrived nearby.
“What happened? ” asked Yang Zicang.
“This gentleman is? ” They all felt the face before them was somewhat terrifying, yet just looking at his earlobes suggested nothing apparent.
“He’s a very powerful gentleman. Anyway, why not talk about what’s going on; maybe this gentleman might be interested in helping you resolve it. Ah, right, how is Researcher Farmer? He’s all right, isn’t he? “
“He’s fine, he’s doing well, also over there. ” A young man in his twenties pointed behind him at Shantou City before turning his gaze to Yang Zicang.
Hearing what Shegui, Long·Grzegorz, said, they readily guessed that the man before them was a member of the Fogfolk.
“Honored sir, it’s like this—inside right now, I suspect, a rather powerful Nightmare is literally in the process of being born. We… “
They exchanged glances among themselves. Yang Zicang noticed they were all carrying bladed weapons, and one of them even bore a lifeless simulation-blade longsword.
“Are you all here to hunt evil nightmares too? “
“Yes and no. ” One of the three let out a sigh and said:
“Since an esteemed Mistman has arrived, there’s no use hiding it now. To be honest, we’ve been stationed here recently to handle less severe incidents of nightmare pollution… actually, we even learned the word ‘nightmare’ from Gezha’er. But killing them isn’t our main mission. “
Yang Zicang felt a flicker of suspicion.
Suddenly, a muffled, unnatural cry emanated from within the factory.
“Sounds like something far beyond what a few ordinary folks with arms can handle. “
“Indeed. That thing is extremely powerful, Mistman. You’d best find yourself some more help. “
“As a rule, the bigger they are, the stronger they get, ” the younger one added helpfully.
Yang Zicang cast him a sideways glance.
｛I activate the Silent Night of Reflection.｝
With a grave expression, Yang Zicang focused his senses—an enormous curved steel plate inside the factory was suddenly radiating signs of life. A thing of such immense size, it resembled a room standing upright on its side.
“What the hell are you people really up to in there? “
- ｛Distributor Loki-Tata Mingqi, drawing on vast experience, indicates that within me, a brand new “Prelude to Splendor ” is gestating.｝
- ｛Distributor Tata Mingqi signals: “Charge! “｝ “Mr. Yang, I… ” Shegui was about to explain, but he already saw Yang Zicang quickly crossing the barren ground and entering the factory building. “Can he do it, Gezar? I didn’t dare tell him—that’s a… epoch-defying demon. ” “Don’t worry, perhaps we doubt others, but there’s no need to doubt him. ” Shegui let out a sigh, then suddenly turned his head, “What did you just say? Epoch-defying? Does that mean that thing was successfully created by Researcher? “
The three of them looked at each other helplessly and nodded in unison, “Yes, this path is also… wrong. “
……
{Whoosh~ Whoosh~ }
Tap, tap! The young man’s footsteps echoed through the empty hall. His gaze swept left and right, finding that it was, true to his perception, swept very clean, with instruments and tools neatly displayed on both sides.
And the perceived metal object suspended in the middle, at this moment looked far from just a simple piece of steel plate.
“Do you know what it is, Cuckoo? “
“Don’t know. Damn! ” Yang Zicang’s nerves seemed abruptly jolted, almost making him reflexively lurch sideways.
Cuckoo Bird swooped down next to the steel plate with a “sussurating ” sound, and scaly waves suddenly appeared one after another, rising like ripples across its surface.
{Ayes… }
Amid the chaotic phantom sounds, airflow around the steel plate whirled chaotically. With two loud rumbles, concussive waves mixed with piercing shrieks burst forward. Yang Zicang could barely keep his footing. In the midst of the roaring hum, the rear of the steel plate sheared cleanly as if axed, crashing down with tremendous force.
Klong-dong!
The ground instantly cratered. Then, with a sudden rotation, it swept across like a thousand-pound maelstrom.
Bang!
Just as it was about to strike Yang Zicang, a fist wreathed in crimson void flames slammed heavily into the sweeping steel body.
{Uwaaah! }
The nightmare’s illusory shriek made Yang Zicang’s heart seem to tremble along with it.
Amid the dull thud of the fist’s collision, a half-sunken dent appeared on the slightly warped, fractured block of heavy steel.
“Not even born yet and already this strong? No wonder those brats saw the writing on the wall and bolted. “
“Whew whew, not bad, that punch has about one-thousandth the power of my Client A’s strike. “
Yang Zicang’s mouth twitched; he really wanted to punch that bird.
In his rage and urgency, the nightmare twisted its body once more and swept around. Suddenly, Yang Zicang had an idea—now that he possessed the “Sacred Origin Source, ” why not try using the five-element elemental field?
No sooner thought than done. With a flicker of his will, as the fierce winds rose and the steel crashed down again, the Chrono-Void Flame on his fist abruptly erupted with a gray-white radiance of the five-element force field.
The entire temporal void illusion suddenly twisted, as if injected with a faint catalyst.
Yang Zicang withdrew his fist and threw a powerful punch.
BOOM!
As fist met steel once more, amidst the pain, the length of steel before him, with its dent, and even the entire nightmare-formed giant steel plate, suddenly froze in place.
Thud!
Thud! Thud!
Yang Zicang suddenly looked up—this massive thing abruptly emitted a dense, ominous aura, causing the materials covering the factory’s surface to tremble, as if months or even a year or two of weathering had passed in mere seconds.
“This… how? ” Yang Zicang exclaimed in shock.
“Ack! ” Little Bird flew out with a whoosh, then flew right back. “Wait, I’m not human, so what am I scared of? Ugh, you idiot, do you have any idea you’re feeding it a catalyst?! “
“Catalyst?! ” Yang Zicang withdrew his fist, staring at the layer of wavering ethereal flames belonging to the Five Elements Force Field above.
The evil nightmare’s massive pupils faintly emerged. Below, Yang Zicang felt as if he should grasp something, yet for a moment, everything eluded him.
“Could the evil-nightmarization of technological creations actually be connected to the Five Elements? “
{You… gave me the final… power to awaken… Ah, this is… human knowledge… and language? }
{It seems… there’s so much… I don’t yet understand… }
The evil nightmare’s rumbling voice spread, and even Lon Gazzer and the others outside the factory, who had sensed the anomaly, began to realize something was wrong.
“That guy’s hopeless! “
“We need to get out of here; we need to round up more Fogfolk to take this thing down. ” Sławomir Hil rushed gravely, taking two steps. He turned back to Shegui and said, “What are you waiting for? Run! “
Shegui gritted his teeth. “I don’t believe he can’t take down a single Nightmare. Hmph. ” With that, he reached for the sword from the young man beside him, yanked it from its scabbard behind him, and charged toward the factory door.
“Hey, hey, you bastard! “
Inside the factory. The Nightmare’s colossal eye fixed upon the man staring at his own fist.
{Though there’s much I don’t understand… but—if I devour you, I should be able to grasp it all. }
A crack split through its center, and the entire steel-laced Nightmare began to spread apart like disassembling building blocks. Yang Zicang slowly lifted his head.
“Mr. Hero! ” Shegui, Rong·Gezhar, lifted the sword and shouted, “Do you need a weapon? “
“No need! Hyaaah! ” Yang Zicang’s reply rumbled from deep in his throat. The crimson flame on his fist instantly shifted, blazing with scorching orange radiance!
“Jump up and hit it! ” Little Bird the Cuckoo shouted while flicking his head to toss a business card. “I’ll back you up! “
Yang Zicang stomped the ground, leaped, and landed on the spinning card, using it as a springboard to rise again—driving his fist, charged with light, straight into the center of the Nightmare’s splitting body, right before the stunned gaze of the man at the door.
- ｛Distributor April Odyssey gazes with a tone of regret upon the moment of my current life.｝
A deep, booming clash resounded.
Rumble, bang, bang, bang!
Fragments of the shattered Nightmare rained down in every direction. The three figures who had just sprinted to the door froze in shock. “We’re doomed! “
Clatter, clatter, clatter!
These expensive items happened to fall right next to the precious instruments.
“Ah… that scared me to death. Good thing Researcher Farmer didn’t see that.“
Yang Zicang landed, turning to look back. Four figures were walking toward him, patting their chests in lingering fear.
｛I have acquired Timeline Node 5700N.｝
How could there be so much? The offset from the first punch was barely even a thousand years of chronological sequence. Sure enough, it’s related to the five-element force field.
Little Bird picked up the business card and swiftly flew off a distance.
“Do you know any info about the connection between nightmare fiends and the five elements? “
“Hmph, I won’t just tell you for nothing! I already regret what I said earlier. Without two bottles—pfft, why would I want so much wine? I’m just a bird. “
Cuckoo turned its back toward Yang Zicang, pecked at the nightmare fiend fragments, and with aswooshflew out of sight.
“So even weapons aren’t needed, and it still put this thing down. “
The three of them nervously scrutinized the nightmare fiend fragments on the ground.
“I want to know—what exactly did this turn into? ” Yang Zicang asked coldly. “What are you all doing here? “
“Uh, well… “
Slawomir Hill shot Shegui a questioning glance, which prompted the nightmare fiend material merchant—whose demeanor was unusually different today—to say, “Go ahead and speak. This gentleman isn’t like other Fogfolk. “
The three hesitated for a moment, then Slawomir sighed, figuring the outcome of the matter would come to nothing more, and said:
“This steel plate—it’s actually the swept-back wing of a high-speed aircraft. “
Yang Zicang looked at the fragments in astonishment.
“Don’t underestimate these seemingly insignificant sheets of steel. As an aircraft’s speed increases, the airflow over the upper surface of the wing exceeds the aircraft’s own speed. In some areas, local airflow can even reach supersonic speeds, creating wave drag. “
Sławomir Hszler spread his shoulders and shrugged helplessly.
“An efficient, scientifically designed swept-back wing can effectively delay the onset of wave drag. Without it, stable high-speed flight for an aircraft is impossible. “
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