Novel Lived
Chapter 280 - Cut the Crap, Just Drift Along
Chapter 280: Cut the Crap, Just Drift Along
Somewhere.
People were looking up at the starry sky.
“Qing Ming City...”
“It’s almost time,” an old man said.
Upon finishing his words...
He lifted his right hand and adjusted a pair of black-framed spectacles which could increase the accuracy of his deduction. He felt that his view of Qing Ming City was becoming clearer than ever.
Shush!
Lights and shadows circled him.
All of Qing Ming City was in his eyes!
“Go ahead.
“Children.
“It’s time for us to enjoy our victory!”
The old man smiled faintly.
“Yes.”
Behind him, many people got up and left.
“Hehe.”
The old man wore a smile on his face.
He had thought that he was wrong.
Unexpectedly, he actually made it in time for the earthshaking millennium chance encounter! Although he was already of this age, he could still fight for some benefits for his grand disciples.
...
Somewhere.
By the ocean.
Before the eyes of someone, the ocean was suspended in the air and formed a pavilion.
Shush!
Ocean currents were flowing.
They were changing constantly.
In the end...
They transformed into Qing Ming City.
“True enough...”
That man sighed. “Qing Ming City? So many years have passed and you’ve finally implemented this plan successfully. However, how did you guys last for that long?
“Do you guys know...
“People have failed because they couldn’t endure it any longer...
“Even if you guys awaken...
“What’s the point?!”
There were sighs.
Ocean waters rose.
A graceful figure appeared and stepped onto the shore.
...
Somewhere.
A dark mass of bulls flashed across the land.
The person riding the bulls had the same dazed look in his eyes.
He didn’t like to think.
Because it was tiring.
Therefore, once he decided on a direction, he would keep on going until he had reached his destination. He would then start to think about whether he had found the person he was looking for.
However...
This time...
Clearly, he had not reached Qing Ming City... He had not gone back...
Suddenly...
He looked up.
Moo—
The bulls stopped moving.
They seemed to have sensed a unique aura.
Furrowing his brows, he looked in the direction of Qing Ming City. Over there, he sensed a familiar aura. It was different from the feelings that his buddy gave him...
It felt like... home.
“Home... is still there?”
Doubts flashed across his mind.
However...
Very soon, he had figured it out. Whether it was still around or not, he would find out after he took a look.
Well...
G-go home.
B-buddy is at home.
Bang!
The bulls set off once again.
This time, they were much faster than before!
...
Starry Sky Pavilion.
This was a magical place.
In the words of the old times, this was a large and powerful organization that made deductions on everything in the world using the stars.
They could use the rain and the wind, and were omnipotent.
Of course, later on, their work had been disrupted by the ‘weather forecast department’, thereby sharply reducing their prestige and credibility. They could only switch to fortune-telling.
They were now making predictions... on chance encounters!
One hundred thousand yuan for a small chance encounter.
One million yuan for a good chance encounter.
Ten million yuan for an excellent chance encounter.
A higher price would require special conditions!
For example...
The chance encounter on this occasion.
This was a one-of-a-kind chance encounter, a rare one that would occur once in a millennium. Five-star and above. Requirement: A fiery dragon bone!
This was the official information provided by the Starry Sky Pavilion. As to whether the source of the so-called fiery dragon bone was a mutated living creature or an ancient spirit body, only god knew.
“What is a fiery dragon bone?”
“Those who know what it is will know, those who don’t won’t.”
“I have phoenix tears. Will those work?”
“Do you really have this item?”
“Yes, the Bonback brand...”
“You have been banned from speaking.”
...
However...
In a moment, the mission disappeared, leaving behind only one word – Completed.
“Someone has completed it?!”
“Damn! There really is a fiery dragon bone in this world?”
“I don’t know...”
Everyone was shocked.
Customers of the Starry Sky Pavilion were either wealthy or of noble origins. However, when faced with such a one-of-a-kind chance encounter, they were only qualified to admire it!
“I wonder what kind of chance encounter this is...”
“That’s right.”
“I bought an excellent chance encounter many years ago and can already vanquish my peers. This one-of-a-kind chance encounter...”
Everyone gasped.
At this very moment...
A young man quietly accessed his account. There was only a sentence in small font—’The one-of-a-kind chance encounter has already been redeemed.’
——
Location: Qing Ming City
Time: One day’s time (99.98%), One day later (0.02%)
Content: ...
——
“Qing Ming City.”
The young man finished reading it quietly.
He opened the map and looked for Qing Ming City’s location.
After all...
On the world map, Qing Ming City was really very small, and very weak. It was near impossible that such a place would attract the attention of cultivators like him.
Oh...
It’s here.
“Uncle Li, can you give me a lift?” the young man suddenly said.
“Okay.”
That old man who was known as Uncle Li smiled faintly.
Shush!
Lights and shadows flashed.
When the young man returned to his senses, he had already arrived in Qing Ming City.
“Ancient tomb?”
The young man looked at the map and hurried there.
...
At this very moment...
Starry Sky Pavilion.
A few people with ancient clothing were sitting in front of the table with grave expressions.
“Uncle, why is it 99.8%?” someone asked.
He found it strange. His martial uncle had done these kind of deductions numerous times and had never been wrong. After all, they were real strategists!
Yes.
They were like chess players outside of a chess board!
No matter who it was...
Be it the mastermind or the person who turned the tables, they were within their deduction scope!
They... were deducing the big picture!
Therefore...
They had never made a mistake.
Ever since they had been forced to change careers due to ‘weather forecast’, their earnings had increased. This 99.98% was for the first time in a decade!
“Because of variables,” his uncle stroked his beard and said nonchalantly.
“Variables?”
The few of them were baffled.
There were actually variables that their uncle could not deduce?
“You guys will understand in the future.”
Their uncle sounded profound and mysterious. “This is heaven’s will.”
“Yes.”
The few of them were filled with reverence and fear.
Heaven’s will...
Uncle could actually deduce heaven’s will!!
Uncle was amazing!
However...
They did not know that the man who deduced heaven’s will in their eyes was also feeling super frantic at this moment. This was because some problems had occurred during the deduction this time...
What is a ‘backscratcher’ [1. Sexual services on the pretext of provision of massaging services]?
What is a ‘small movie’ [2. Movies with sexual content]?
What is this little blue pill [3.Viagra]?
Why did these things appear in my deductions?
Eh?
Could it be that my powers are inadequate and heaven is telling me that I need these kinds of things to make up for it?
That’s possible!
Many years ago, their decadent industry clung on to predicting rain and wind, ignoring the rules of the world. In the end, since ‘weather forecast reporting’ began, the Starry Sky Pavilion suffered huge damages and almost closed down. At that time, as the pavilion owner, his senior brother fell ill due to depression and eventually passed away.
Upon succeeding the position, he kept up with times and constantly carried out reformations. Starry Sky Pavilion was then revitalized.
And now...
Perhaps it was time to change again.
He knew very well.
To survive in this world, one had to keep up with the times.
Hence...
He opened his wristband communication device and clumsily typed with one finger on the screen with the touch-screen keyboard. He asked, “What is the little blue pill?”
...
Qing Ming City.
In the suburbs.
As usual, Xia Yu was calmly practicing shooting.
The old man watched him with a faint smile. Occasionally sensing a familiar aura, he would look up towards the direction of the ancient tomb and reveal a mysterious smile.
“Your archery today is a little messy,” he suddenly said.
“I know.”
Xia Yu felt somewhat impatient. “Many people have come. I can sense their auras.”
“Given your ability, that’s not bad,” the old man praised.
Xia Yu was only a peak three-star and he could sense the aura of these foreigners. It was astonishing!
“I’ve been waiting to see this day?”
Xia Yu was looking forward to it.
“There is no hurry.”
The old man pondered for a moment. “There’s still some time.”
“I still have to wait?”
Xia Yu’s expression was ugly.
“Yes.”
The old man smiled faintly.
“I thought it was this time.”
Xia Yu was very disappointed.
Repeatedly, each commotion in Qing Ming City had been bigger than the preceding one but none of them were the chance encounter that he wanted... What kind of chance encounter was it, exactly?
Was it not this time too?
“Soon.”
The old man smiled faintly. “Soon...”
His gaze was profound.
Xia Yu took a glance and actually had an urge to give him a round of violent bashings.
He hated pretentious people the most.
There was nothing else that he hated more!
“I’ve already waited for many years.”
Xia Yu said calmly, “I know you hope that I will make it big and progress more. That’s why we have been waiting for this earthshaking chance encounter.
“I’ve waited.
“However, if I find out that you’re lying to me...”
Xia Yu pursed his lips. “I’ll marry Xiaohua.”
The smile on the old man’s face gradually froze.
Xiaohua was his granddaughter.
She was only nine years old.
Seemingly, Xia Yu had been led astray by that person called Lu Ming...
...
In the suburbs.
The men in black team.
“The moment that we’ve been waiting for has finally arrived.”
“That’s right.”
“Henceforth, we don’t need to be masked anymore. We will live under the sun openly!”
“The news has been spread...”
“Very good.
“Prepare the Energy Cards and throw in the things that we have stored.”
“Yes!”
“Let’s begin.”
...
At this very moment...
Qing Ming City.
Underground.
The spirit body hunters dashed in excitedly.
The ancient stone door was taking on the biggest trial of its lifetime. Although it was sturdy enough, it could not hold back everyone’s enthusiasm.
Massive energy attacked it.
In just one hour, the stone door collapsed.
“There’s really a group of ancient tombs?!”
“It’s so huge.”
“I don’t know how many spirit bodies will be born...”
Some of them were excited.
Suddenly...
There were loud booming noises.
Countless treasures fell from the sky.
“That is...”
“Peace Grass!”
“Seven Nights Velvet!”
“Oh my goodness.”
The spirit body hunters were turning crazy.
Money!
All of this was money!
These ancient tombs were actually filled with treasures!
Swoosh!
Swoosh!
Everyone began to grab and fight for the treasures fervently. Some people skilfully released their spirit bodies for the combat. They wanted to grab more items before the big shots arrived...
Hence...
The killings began.
Bang!
Bang!
Some people released spirit bodies.
As spirit body hunters, many people had means to control the spirit bodies or had spirit bodies as assistants. They simply released them at this moment!
A battle erupted!
...
At this very moment...
Lu Ming and Li Erguo, who was hiding at a certain place, felt fear and trepidation.
They watched on as a hole suddenly appeared in the sky and dropped things, as if they were feeding the animals in a farm...
It was very terrifying.
Clearly, there was nothing earlier...
“Airdrop...”
Lu Ming squinted his eyes.
This group of men in black had played the video game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, right?
“Our enemies can actually control the ancient tombs!”
Li Ergou was shocked.
“That’s not the only thing.”
Lu Ming furrowed his brows tightly. “I have a hunch that they are plotting something secretly...”
“A conspiracy...”
Li Ergou seemed to be lost in his thoughts.
They lured people into the empty and spacious ancient tomb to begin killings...
Ancient tomb...
Thirty six of them...
Shush!
Some vague memories loomed in Li Ergou’s mind. He recalled an array in a legend, a seven-star and above super massive array — Restart Array!
Afterward...
He did not know anything else.
As this was an array which was seven-star and beyond, he only knew a tiny bit about it. In his memory, one had to pay a terrifying price for this kind of array!
Its function seemed to be recovering things.
“This is the Restart Array.”
Li Ergou told Lu Ming what he knew.
Lu Ming was stunned when he heard that. “In that case, there’s also the Blue Screen Array, Shut Down Array, Crash Array and so on?”
Li Ergou cast a deep look at Lu Ming but did not say a word.
“Alright.”
Lu Ming was deep in his thoughts.
Restart...
Recover...
Perhaps... these guys want to revive something in this ancient tomb?!
That’s possible!
According to his experience in the DQ (Dragon Quest) series, typically, in such situations, the villains wanted to awake their demon king, who had been in a deep slumber in the abyss, and then rule the world!
And at such times, as the protagonist, he had to uphold justice and blast the demon king’s asshole... Oh, wrong. He had to raise the brave warrior’s sword to defeat the demon king and save the world. Additionally, there would be side plots like’ village that he grew up in destroyed’, ‘childhood sweetheart killed’, ‘weak friend murdered’ and so on... In this way, during the journey of growing up, he could then make new friends and have a good reason to hook up with a princess...
That was briefly the situation.
“Tell me, is the man in black a sixteen-year old saint or something?”
Lu Ming continued to think out of the box.
“Huh?”
Li Ergou wore a baffled expression.
Weren’t we talking about the mighty array?
Aye brother, how did you link it to a sainte?!
Bang!
Bang!
Booming noises could be heard from afar.
These five-stars and four-stars had already begun to go all out under the temptation of the treasures!
Actually, Lu Ming had wanted to seal their vocation cores but at the thought that the men in black were actually observing in the dark, he dared not mess around. He could only quietly change his location with Li Ergou.
“Drifting along...
“I’m very experienced.
“It’s not good to stay put and hide in one place. When they are fighting, we have to quietly change to another place. I’m not boasting. I can drift along until everyone dies!”
Speaking about his strengths, Li Ergou was filled with confidence.
Some things.
He actually did not tell Lu Ming.
For example...
Each time matters pertaining to spirit bodies happened in Qing Ming City, he was present!!!
Each time.
He drifted along in obscurity till the end.
It was true.
If it was not because the spirit bodies suddenly disappeared every time, there was a good chance that he could get them. It was a sheer pity. In the end, all those spirit bodies died...
No one got them.
However...
As long as they were alive, he, Li Ergou, would be able to win!
Did they really think that the main job of he, Li Ergou, was a joke?
The five-star spirit bodies were fighting in a distance.
In another corner, he and Lu Ming were moving quietly without a sound under the camouflage of the environment...
No one noticed them!
They quietly moved to an obscure corner.
“If it’s really the Restart Array...
“It’s best that we don’t get involved.”
Li Ergou was very certain. “This is a seven-star and above super massive array. It’s also a legendary array. To set up such an array, one has to pay a huge sacrifice, a huge sacrifice...
“Perhaps more than one seven-star will die because of this!
“Us?
“We are only cannon fodder!
“No!
“We are not even qualified to be cannon fodder...
“So... During such times, drifting along is the right thing to do,” Li Ergou told Lu Ming seriously.
“Are you sure?”
Lu Ming was filled with skepticism.
Although it sounded very logical, why did he have a feeling that regardless of the situation, Classmate Li Ergou was always be able to find a reason to drift along?
“It’s true.”
Li Ergou’s expression was austere.
He was very serious about drifting along.
“A—alright.”
Lu Ming reluctantly listened.
He also found it strange. The sudden appearance of a bunch of spirit bodies, an empty and spacious ancient tomb, a sudden airdrop. This group of men in black was like headless flies. All their sporadic actions were for the sake of the so-called Restart Array?
Restart Array...
This name sounded very technical!
...
Suddenly...
Buzz—
A strange and mysterious tremor occurred.
“Who is that?!”
Li Ergou jumped in shock.
“It’s nothing.”
Lu Ming patted his card bag with an indifferent expression. “It should be the alarm clock that I set.”
“Alright.”
Li Ergou was shocked and intrigued.
City dwellers nowadays were really different. Instead of setting an alarm in their wristband communication devices, they specially used a vibrating little thing in the card bag. What a unique hobby.
At this very moment...
Lu Ming’s unfriendly thoughts swept across the card bag.
“What are you doing?”
He glanced at the Original Card, which was trembling from time to time.
“It’s nothing. Don’t bother about me.”
The Original Card felt great and had been smiling foolishly. “Hehehe, the sinister aura in this place suddenly became more intense, it’s just nice. I can temper my body. This kind of feeling. Woo hoo~”
Lu Ming was speechless.
This guy actually knew how to temper now!
Sinister aura...
Well...
Well...
It was the same situation as the python.
At the thought of this, he took out the Original Card from the card bag. After all, it would come into more contact with the sinister aura outside the bag and could better absorb the aura to temper its body.
“Don’t glow. Absorb without making any noise. Try your best not to attract anyone’s attention,” Lu Ming instructed.
“Understood.”
The Original Card felt so good that it wanted to ignore Lu Ming.
...
Bang!
Bang!
There was another battle.
The things that dropped from the sky seemed to fall in a certain spot.
Li Ergou took a glance. Most of the items were near a particular grave amid the thirty-six graves. Coincidentally, all the items fell over there!
Under such circumstances...
“Hide,”
Li Ergou said.
“You’ll only die if you touch any of the things in the array!
“I don’t understand the Restart Array but I remember a seven-star array, and it wasn’t even the legendary kind. That array needed a sacrifice of six seven-stars, a massive number of six-stars and five-stars...”
Li Ergou’s expression was austere.
Ss——
Lu Ming’s heart skipped a beat.
Sacrifice?
Six seven-stars?!
Hell... What kind of array was that?!
Furthermore, it could not be compared to the array before his eyes?
To hell with it.
Who exactly were those people who learned arrays?
Suddenly...
Lu Ming thought of Miss Xiaoqing, who was still living in the demon clutches of her elder brother. Ah, it seemed that he had to improve his relationship with Miss Xiaoqing in the future.
“Anyway...
“Just hide and drift along.”
This was Li Ergou’s final conclusion.
“Okay.”
Lu Ming had become abiding.
Facing such an ultra-powerful thing, he dared not touch it anymore.
He had already gained a lot from the ancient tomb this time. Twelve spirit bodies which he collected from above the ground. Most likely, he would not be affected by the array!
Right now...
He just wanted to wait here quietly till it was over.
Afterward...
He would go home and study the spirit bodies.
It was that simple.
Array?
Restart?
He would leave it to the big shots to deal with them!
Lu Ming reckoned that since Li Ergou’s master could predict this, certainly many big shots would also be able to do so. When the time came, most probably there would be a fight between the celestial beings!
As a mortal...
Well...
It was best not to be involved.
Therefore...
Lu Ming heeded Li Ergou’s suggestion without any hesitation.
Just hide!
The one who hid and drifted along until the end would be the victor!
...
Bang!
Bang!
The fighting was still ongoing.
“This is mine!”
“Bullshit! Clearly, I saw it first!”
Bang!
There was another battle.
They did not even notice faint gleams and red hues already surrounding them. The ancient tomb looked very creepy.
The spirit bodies they summoned looked even brighter.
And more conspicuous!
More powerful!
...
Right then...
No one knew.
Countless pairs of eyes were focused on the ancient tombs.
Bang!
There were turbulent times in Qing Ming City.
Beams of terrifying powers emerged in the air. Some powerful figures with terrifying abilities were also coming to compete for the so-called chance encounter!
In the dark.
Many people were watching.
...
Somewhere.
A mysterious team appeared.
They were very powerful and yet maintained an uncannily low profile.
“Remember!
“Don’t reveal any information!
“We can’t let them know that policemen are also joining this... I’ve turned down Zhang Wei’s request but I don’t know how long we can resist... Therefore, we have to hurry! This is the only thing that I can do for you guys! The restart plan is a calamity for Qing Ming City!
“But for us...
“This is beneficial! Understand?”
“Understood!”
Everyone looked solemn.
They were policemen!
However, this time, they wanted to seek personal gain!
“We...
“Is doing this okay?”
One young man was in a daze.
The things that he had learned when young told him that this was wrong!
“Humans have to fend for themselves. Isn’t that true?
“Furthermore...
“A powerful policeman is more useful than one thousand useless policemen! We can be selfish occasionally. It’s to protect our citizens better...” someone said.
“Is that so?
The young man was in a trance.
“Of course.”
That man smiled faintly. “Why can’t Qing Ming City be saved this time? In essence, isn’t it because we’re too weak?! If we were strong enough...”
“Way to go! We’re selfish for the sake of the future!”
“Yes.”
The young man was convinced.
Hence...
These people had orders to wait for this moment.
If they did not remember wrong, once the array was activated...
Qing Ming City... would be completely destroyed!
...
Somewhere.
That star chart that uniquely belonged to Qing Ming City turned increasingly brighter. It was gradually refining itself. On the star char that had been still and silent for a long time, bright dots started to appear again!
At that instant.
It had already surged to its final stage of progress!
99%
Finally...
It was going to be completed!
“We... have finally waited till this day!”
Tears were welling up in the eyes of the men in black.
At this moment...
In various places around the world.
The people from their organization, all the men in black had arrived here. From their birth, many of them had lived for the sole purpose of this moment of destiny!!!
Right then...
All the men in black wore austere expressions. They were filled with devotion.
They... were finally coming back!
Henceforth, they would no longer be a nameless organization!
Henceforth, they would no longer be the nameless men in black!
They would be true...
Suddenly...
A man in black spoke doubtfully, “Why isn’t the progress bar moving?”
Eh?
Everyone glanced at it instinctively.
They then discovered that, unknowingly, the progress bar which should be completed rapidly was stuck! The seemingly completed star chart... seemed to be lacking just a little!
99.99%
99.99%
99.99%
...
The progress bar flickered constantly but was stuck at that point forever!
It was not moving at all!!!
...
“How is that possible?”
The leader of the man in black looked shocked and baffled.
How could this happen?!
He took a closer look at those spirit body hunters and spirit bodies who were still fighting. Sinister aura was constantly emanating, appearing in the ancient tomb and gradually syncing with the array!
The steps were correct!
The plan was correct!
Only... this outcome was not correct!
Why?
The leader of the men in black was very puzzled too.
Hence...
He flipped open an ancient booklet seriously to search for the possible mistakes that might occur. However, no matter how much he looked for it, he could not find the situation before him.
What the hell was this?!
Their research team came out to take a look and then returned quietly.
They could not figure it out.
“Let me think.”
The leader of the man in black forced himself to calm down.
It could not be like this!
Wait and do nothing?
Although those spirit body hunters were still fighting, if this were to continue? Therefore, they would rather do it when they were still around...
“Restart!”
The leader of the man in black sighed.
Hence...
They shut down the star chart and opened it again.
Buzz—
The star chart was reactivated.
The entire array preview process also closed at this moment and then entered into a loading mode again. Fortunately, the remaining thirty-five graves were already completed!
Shush!
In that instant, the progress bar surged to ninety percent upon restarting!
Afterward...
91%!
92%!
93%!
...
“It’s moving.”
Everyone’s gaze focused and they did not let down their guard.
97%
98%!
99%
...
Everyone’s eyes widened.
Shush!
The numbers were flashing.
99.99%
99.99%
99.99%
99.99%
...
The surroundings fell silent again.
Again...
It was stuck again!
“How can that be possible?!”
The leader of the man in black was infuriated.
Everything had been perfect. Why would it be stuck at 99.99%?
“Is someone disrupting it?”
His voice was hoarse.
“No,” the Scout told the truth.
This time...
He really did not sense the presence of any enemy.
The leader of the man in black was silent.
Suddenly...
He quietly removed his face scarf and revealed his looks.
“Boss...”
The rest of the people trembled in their hearts.
Their rules forbid...
“I know. We’re not fit to have a name and live.”
“The leader of the man in black looked afar. “However, it doesn’t matter anymore, right? This plan is our last chance...
“If this fails...
“We will lose everything!”
The leader of the men in black said seriously, I will go to the ancient tombs to take a look... If I don’t come back... You guys can execute the last part of the plan...”
“Yes!”
Everyone was shivering all over.
“Before I leave...
“I just hope.
“If I die and the plan is successfully executed. I hope... that you guys will remember my name.”
Shush!
He got up and left, stepping into the ancient tomb.
Vaguely.
They could hear his voice.
“Remember.
My name is Zou Shenglong.”
...
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