Act 18: Hooked on a Feeling, Haunted by You

Foreword:

It has no beginning and no end.

--Nikola Tesla

"Let's go find Berloberg."

Twelve hours later, Xue Ming and Oscar set off again, crossing rugged hills, passing three road signs, and traversing a frozen river before arriving at a deep abyss.

The ravine, more than twenty meters wide, blocked Wolf Brother's way, with only two icy ropes. These ropes were also a convenient passage left by the explorers of the Silver Helm Hunter's Guild. When they first came to explore this place, they used ice axes to slowly descend to the valley floor, which was more than two hundred meters deep, and then slowly climbed back up. They took this long detour to leave behind sturdy rock spikes.

"Gunsmith, I can't make it." Oscar shook his head repeatedly, looking at the rope, which was only as thick as Thumb. For someone of his weight, climbing the icy cableway was an impossible task.

"Could you ask Xiao Huang to give us a ride?" the gunsmith asked.

Oscar laughed and replied, "Hey! How could it understand human speech! You'd have to train it for at least six months before this wild beast could understand commands. Training a hawk takes time too."

As he said this, Wolf grabbed the big yellow chicken by the head. The raptor, now restrained by its sharp claws, became somewhat impatient. It had followed him curiously all the way, and the survival wisdom it displayed was limited to expressing friendliness and not attacking unprovoked. It was nothing like the mythical beasts in novels that recognize their masters and immediately understand the protagonist's commands without any training.

"And besides," Oscar added, "It can't stand my weight either. Look at its skinny arms and legs. Wasn't it trapped by the remains of that giant beast that fell to its death? Judging from its weight, it wasn't it that did it. It must have been its parents who chased and cornered the prey, driving it to the edge of the cliff and forcing it to its death—this meal, in theory, is a coming-of-age gift from its parents."

"Alright, I'll go in alone then." Jiang Xueming attached the safety rope to the cable. "Is there anything else you want to say?"

Oscar used whatever materials he could find, building a small hut out of the giant tree's wood and bark. It was like a doghouse, big enough for only him, a wolf, to squeeze in, with his big nose sticking out as he panted.

"Shall we chat for a bit, gunsmith? Are you in a hurry?"

Jiang Xueming squatted at the entrance of the doghouse and saw Oscar sitting cross-legged and hunched over inside. It felt a bit strange, like a makeshift temple for the local earth god.

"No rush, go ahead."

The Golden Eagle Gryphon were freezing outside. When they saw how warm the hut was, they immediately cawed strangely. So Xue Ming took out his ice-breaking axe to get some wood to build the hut.

He first laid down a layer of dry grass, then shaved the wood into a Y-shape and nailed it in place. After setting up the stakes, he slowly filled in the frame. During this process, Wolf Brother kept asking questions, like a curious child.

"Gunsmith, all I know is that you're faking your death, and I don't know what the Nameless One is going to do next. I can't ask him about it—and don't call Victor to read me stories, okay? I promise I'll keep it a secret."

While working, Xue Ming retorted, "It's not up to me to decide."

The trip to Shambhala is crucial; if Wolf Brother, with his big mouth, doesn't keep the secret, it could determine the outcome of the final battle in the fall.

"Oh," Oscar said with a hint of regret, "It's just a bit of a shame."

Jiang Xueming: "What's there to regret?"

"I'll be fighting alongside heroes from legends! It'll be so prestigious!" Oscar exclaimed, trembling with excitement. "Won't my status in the family skyrocket? From now on, Lani have to listen to me when it comes to what we eat! And the two pups will treat me like the tribal chief!"

Lapis lazuli dogs have a very unique family social environment, much like how human families raise puppies.

When a puppy arrives at its new home, it will always regard a family member as the leader of the clan. If others try to pet or pinch it, it will involuntarily show aggression, guard its food, and growl fiercely when it is disobedient.

This is the nature of a wolfhound. Oscar cares so much about this "family status" because his wife has long held the position of head of the family. Lapis Lazuli has a long lifespan, and his family will multiply. Before he reaches the end of his lifespan, he may have dozens of relatives. By the time he reaches his great-grandchildren, he will be the head of the clan.

Oscar was thinking about it so much.

If such a detail could be included in history books, when he gets old, his children and grandchildren would surround him, praising him endlessly, and his little granddaughter would shout to him every day, "I haven't heard you tell the story of the gunsmith for three minutes! I want to hear it!" Such a scene would be the ultimate thrill story, and even the walnuts he played with would be stamped with the mark of Flash Butterfly Armor.

"You care about this a lot?" Jiang Xueming had never thought this would happen. He wasn't someone who cared about his reputation and didn't quite understand Wolf Brother's emotional needs.

Oscar immediately wagged his tail. "Of course! Of course! This is what I'm counting on for a living!"

"Then take this." Xue Ming pulled a medal from his undergarments. "This is the medal for the defense of Westbrook. It's the last combat medal I received after the Battle of Lieyang Fort. Take this to the BOSS next spring, and he will give you a new medal."

"Huh?" Oscar was so surprised he couldn't speak for a moment.

Since the gunsmith faked his death and did not participate in the battle of Lieyang Fort, this medal could only have been obtained by the gunsmith from 9527 or the War King. Judging from the emblem and gold border of this shield-shaped medal, it represents the greatest contribution in this battle, thus indicating that it is a meritorious achievement of the War King.

Oscar didn't yet understand that "Marika is Radagon," but he absolutely dared not accept such a valuable gift.

Jiang Xueming was still working when he took a break to explain, "When the BOSS decides to give you a badge, just say whatever comes to mind. For example, [Sword Seeker Warrior], or [Proof of the Hero Who Defeated the Mountain Demon]. Just think of any kind of prize. A few years ago, the BOSS was overjoyed and loved creating new badge designs—he said he'd never awarded so many human heroes in his entire life."

"This is the War King's, I can't, I can't." Oscar stammered as he spoke.

"Just treat War King as my older sister." Jiang Xueming sealed the roof of the shack and covered it with a layer of large leaves to keep out the wind.

He herded the golden eagle inside, and the beast was initially reluctant, seemingly a little rebellious. But once inside the shed, the big bird immediately lay down, and soon rolled over and lay on its back.

"I'm the only male in the family. My older sister is a total 'brother-supporting demon.' She's the one who takes care of any tough enemies. She even entrusts the medals to me and Xiao Qi for safekeeping. I'm such a spendthrift, I never care about these things."

At this point, Wolf suddenly became confused.

These words sounded unreal to him; they were completely different from the gunsmiths he knew.

Oscar initially thought that the Gunsmith was a genius, a prodigy in psionic combat. According to the materials provided by the BOSS and the media, this prodigy seemed to always be high above others. He should be arrogant and conceited, an eccentric who was out of touch with reality.

Because geniuses possess strong personalities that are difficult for ordinary people to understand, this powerful emotional energy enables them to have exceptional skills.

However, after spending more than a month living and eating with the gunsmith, Oscar found the guy to be frighteningly ordinary. He rarely spoke, acted decisively when faced with a crisis, and never hesitated.

This "lack of hesitation" is what surprised and terrified Wolf Brother.

Fighting the War Gang criminals was the Nameless One's duty, and fighting Saint Josh could be seen as the Gunsmith providing full after-sales service for the underworld's security work, without encountering any real danger.

But to eliminate any future trouble, the gunsmith rushed into Limbo without looking back, crossing the nine hells before returning to the human world.

Even the most determined Red Stone People tremble when venturing into the completely unknown Spirit Realm. Courage is indeed a universal key, but obtaining it is extremely difficult.

Later, as they trekked through the freezing cold of a deep valley, how did the gunsmith defeat the mountain demon?

Oscar knew nothing of this, and the gunsmith didn't boast about it either. The taciturn [introverted boy] barely mentioned anything about what happened in between, leaving Wolf Brother with endless room for imagination.

That must be a fierce battle. No matter how powerful a spirit is, it has to consider its killing efficiency and its own defense when it wants to face a mythical creature head-on. The gunsmith's body is too fragile, even less than Oscar's health.

Courage seems to have become part of the gunsmith, which is incredible for Oscar.

Throughout his life, Big Wolf has seen many brave hunters as well as countless ordinary people struggling to make a living. Life presents many crucial choices, especially life-or-death dilemmas. When these people are searching for solutions, they often hesitate, question their own abilities, or are defeated by pride. If they make the wrong choice in a short time, they will become discouraged and lose courage.

But the gunsmith never hesitated. When Oscar and he faced DB at the same time, Wolf was prepared to sacrifice himself. But at the moment of surrender, Big Wolf would tremble with fear, tuck his tail between his legs, and wait to die.

Oscar saw no fear in this man, and now he was about to venture alone into an unknown land, giving Oscar the illusion that the gunsmith seemed rather ordinary.

Oscar asked in astonishment, "You don't want such an important medal?"

"It's not that I don't want it anymore, I just want you to leave a token. To let the BOSS know you helped me, I need some proof, right?" Jiang Xueming replied casually, "My older sister will take it back later."

Oscar nervously licked his lips, not expecting that his spiritual pursuits seemed to mean nothing to the gunsmith. This was what frustrated and annoyed him, so he pressed for an answer.

"Great hero, please speak."

"You've been running around and fighting for so many years. If it weren't for these titles, if it weren't for leaving a mark on history and wealth and glory, what exactly are you trying to do? To be honest, your brother Wolf is quite confused—I'm just an ordinary person. I was a dog for over two hundred years, went through several different warbands, and later assisted the trainers in training military dogs. Only after obtaining Soul Might did I have this miraculous fortune. I helped people test poisons and find ingredients."

"I know, once I've done these things, people will respect me, they'll hold me in high esteem, and I'll have a better life. Doesn't that make sense?"

Gunsmith: "Yeah."

Oscar: "You handed this medal to me without a word? I was terrified. What if I lost it, or accidentally showed it to someone? It would be such a hassle to explain, and I'd have to wait until next year! With my personality and my big mouth, can you really trust me to give this thing to you?"

"You're quite self-aware," Jiang Xueming suddenly grinned, reaching out to take the medal back.

But Wolf Brother regretted it and clutched the token tightly.

Jiang Xueming simply let go. "You should take it. It's too honest."

"That won't do," Wolf immediately changed his mind. "Can you give me a different token? Give me your bank card."

"I'm not trading!" Jiang Xueming didn't have time to argue with this fussy Red Stone People: "I still need to pay for my meal!"

"As for the questions you asked, I discussed this with the boss at the beginning."

Xue Ming returned to the frozen cable and gently tapped away the ice.

He said absentmindedly—

"--When I first came to the underground world, I thought it was great. I could travel around and there were suitable jobs, which I seemed to be good at."

"Then the cultists of Madness Butterfly blocked our way. I felt they were bad and needed to be reformed."

"So I continued to hone my skills, and now the cultists of the Madness Butterfly are almost wiped out. By next spring, I can go back to the café, back to the club, and listen to people tell stories with Meteor."

"When problems arise in life, you always have to solve them."

"As for this medal, I really don't care. If you see it as a burden, you should see it as a trial. My teacher once said—"

"--This is a jousting tournament."

"If you can keep this secret for me, you'll definitely reap the rewards when you become the winner."

As she said this, Xue Ming began to climb out.

Wolf Brother stared thoughtfully at the gunsmith's figure. He thought for a long time, but the gunsmith's brain was too slow to process anything, so he stopped thinking about it.

In mid-air, the fierce wind blowing from the mountain stream made Xue Ming sway unsteadily. He admired these bold and meticulous explorers even more for their ability to carve out a new shortcut in such a dangerous place.

He didn't tell Wolf Brother the whole story. In fact, he just wanted to take a long-term path, just like Ming De's career.

For travelers, the Madness Butterfly Sect is also a natural disaster, a catastrophe.

Defeating them is like conquering high mountains and deep valleys, crossing rugged and dangerous rivers, and fighting snakes, insects, and ferocious beasts.

There are uneven roads everywhere, so there must be people who can smooth them out. If no one takes the long way around, where will the shortcuts come from?

He still felt these words were somewhat arrogant, and he was unwilling to say them aloud; keeping them to himself was just right.

[Gunsmith, focus.]

Berloberg reminded his master that the rope was very thin, and crossing those twenty meters or so safely would not be easy; a fall would mean certain death.

"Okay," Xue Ming replied.

[Stop talking.]

Xue Ming immediately shut up. When he climbed to the other side, he saw a picturesque village with many old wooden buildings and huge "stone hearts". He followed several paths and came to these strange stone buildings. Only then did Xue Ming realize that the heart-shaped stones were made of rune-patterned stone tablets.

To his astonishment, he discovered that there were more than sixty such stone tablets, varying in size and height, some several meters tall, others more than ten meters tall. The largest one, a heart, was almost thirty meters tall, like a high-rise building.

These heart-shaped stones surround the houses of the small village, and at its center is a spring that emits a bright light. This is the heart of the Elf Holy Land —the blue light seen earlier originated from here.

"Friend."

Xue Ming called out to Berloberg.

Where should I look for you?

"Explain this to me! What's with these stones? I can't possibly take all these stones back with me, can I? I don't have the ability."

[Now you know to beg me?]

[Gunsmith! Your modern civilization, Homo sapiens, is made up of light and electricity!]

[The elf is Mimir/Mim's spiritual energy. How much energy do you want to take?]

[Nikola Tesla once said something that we elves also find very insightful; he profoundly saw the essence of things.]

Matter is the manifestation of the light of energy, because energy is something much older and more ancient.

As long as light continues to shine and its speed remains constant, it will exist forever, and the universe will continue to exist.

[Actually, psionic powers are the same.]

[We are a large group, an outward manifestation of the Mimir/Mim spiritual energy.]

[But after I separated from the whole and became an object of Ming De, I could no longer speak.]

[Actually, I really want to keep talking, to keep speaking forever. When we first met, did you think I was drawing hearts with you? That was actually my original form—I was a heart of stone.]

[I am an ancient elf, so ancient that the moment Mimir/Mim was struck down by the Vita Imprint, many chaotic consciousnesses were running rampant, frantically expressing their own will. At that moment--]

[There is a voice, a constant frequency, that wants to tear me apart.]

[It has no beginning and no end. It said, "Let there be a light," and I immediately appeared, and this light put the other spirits at ease.]

[These stones all hold a part of me; I am both Mimir/Mim and Berloberg.]

[How much do you want? Go get it yourself! But before that, you'll have to overcome a hurdle.]

[This village was a temporary dwelling place for the elves. As you can see, they left after Ming De found suitable spirits to craft the artifacts. The runestones the hunters found are only a very small fraction of the total.]

[Do you want to awaken me again, to turn me into a sword in your hand?]

You must jump into the spring, for there you will find light.

[--Starting to rack your brains now? Should we go back and get some diving gear?]

Jiang Xueming didn't speak; he seemed a little dazed.

Unexpectedly, Berloberg also started talking to him about the importance of rituals, which felt like a mischievous little girl arguing with him.

[Why didn't I tell you sooner? I should have told you sooner.]

[As for those questions you asked earlier, why help Maquire, and why become someone else's scalpel?]

[Actually, I don't want to turn back into Berloberg, the gunsmith, at all.]

[I don't want to see you raise your sword again. After the expedition ended, I could feel that you were very happy, happier than ever before.]

[You have children, you have your own life, you're no longer struggling to find work, and you don't have to constantly face the threat of death—that's a good thing.]

There are so many people you want to protect.

I just want to chat with you occasionally, to talk to you.

[Don't go to Shambhala! That's not the enemy you'll face. That dangerous place doesn't even have the blessing of Ming De. How are you going to defeat these struggling, complacent Immortals? There are too many variables. The Dagda's Cauldron is in their hands; who knows what might happen? What if they use that all-powerful wishing cup to curse you to death?]

People only know that you are great, but they greatly underestimate your greatness.

[I'd rather you stay. After you get back Berloberg, you'll be off on another adventure, won't you? You'll have the guts to fight the monsters again? Battle the Flash Butterfly? Arm wrestle with these terrifying monsters?]

[But the only person I want to protect is you. If I had to include half another, it would be Bu Liuxing.]

"Alright, alright, that's a bit too much anime/manga content."

Xue Ming pulled out his sword hilt and threw it hard into the spring.

"You learned this phrase from Meteor Shower? Tensa Zangetsu, right?"