I Have Two Names

Feng Buzhi said, "I have two names. One is Feng Buzhi, and the other is Damo."

Feng Buzhi had not deliberately concealed his identity as a reincarnated being.

After all, whether for him or for Damo, there was no need to hide it—especially since he had already decided to use Pei Chao to experience the mortal world.

"Feng Buzhi, Damo."

Pei Chao quietly repeated the two names Feng Buzhi had mentioned, feeling rather dazed.

Why did he have two names?

And why did the latter name, Damo, feel somewhat familiar to him?

Pei Chao's parents had died when he was very young. He had received little cultural inheritance, so his impression of Damo was not particularly deep.

Pei Chao frowned in thought. He wanted to ask, but for a moment, he did not know how to begin.

Then, as Pei Chao continued pondering, Feng Buzhi spoke again.

Feng Buzhi said, "Feng Buzhi is my name in this life. As for Damo, that was my previous life."

Feng Buzhi soon gave a brief account of Damo's past, recounting Damo's experiences spreading Mahayana Buddhism far and wide, traveling the world, and cultivating himself without cease.

After finishing his account, Feng Buzhi naturally recited a passage from the Diamond Sutra, making the bearded Caribbean pirate's scalp tingle.

Yes, even after Feng Buzhi's explanation and scripture recitation, Pei Chao still felt rather dazed.

He felt that something about Feng Buzhi's words was off, yet he could not say exactly what was wrong. It felt awkward and strange.

Yet somehow, it all made perfect sense.

Yes, it made perfect sense.

If Boss Feng was the reincarnation of some great being, then all of Feng Buzhi's unusual behavior could be explained.

It was just that the identity of Damo left him with a feeling too complicated for words.

But on second thought, Boss Feng had no reason to deceive him.

Without thinking too much about it, Pei Chao said, "Boss Feng, let's hurry back to the Town Crystal and heal your arm and injuries first."

Perhaps knowing that the town was just ahead, Pei Chao quickened his pace and began to jog.

Several dozen minutes later, Pei Chao carried Feng Buzhi on his back to the vicinity of the southeastern exit of the town.

The town was surrounded by walls on all four sides, with entrances only to the east and west.

Since the place where Feng Buzhi had slain the four Goblins was south of the town, going around to the eastern exit had taken some extra time.

Looking at the firelight near the entrance, Pei Chao said, "Boss, there should be some people guarding that place. Don't mind them. Just watch me in a moment."

As he spoke, Pei Chao sped up. Before long, he reached the firelight.

Just as Pei Chao had said, several people were indeed guarding the town gate.

When they saw Pei Chao appear, they blocked the passage through the gate.

Pei Chao strode straight up to them, glared, and snorted coldly. "Get lost!"

The men seemed to know Pei Chao, and their expressions turned somewhat timid. Pei Chao took the opportunity to shove aside one of the guards, then carried Feng Buzhi straight into the town.

Pei Chao said, "They're from the Mutual Aid Society. They're supposed to maintain public order or something. Whenever they come across anyone alone, they interrogate them.

"At the center of the square, they're also collecting food. If you want to use the crystal there, you have to leave behind some food. They say it's to keep emergency rations for everyone."

Five days earlier, after a speech by a man named Wang Chen, an organization called the Mutual Aid Society had been established.

Its purpose was mutual assistance, helping everyone escape their predicament.

Wang Chen naturally became the president of the Mutual Aid Society.

Over the past few days, several hundred people in the town had died or gone missing. Nineteen thousand people remained in the town, and roughly half of them had already joined the Mutual Aid Society.

Thanks to Wang Chen's methods, in just five days, the Mutual Aid Society had begun operating smoothly and had grown ever stronger and more stable.

Feng Buzhi knew nothing about this, because aside from exploring the town on the first day, he had spent the remaining time sitting cross-legged in the wilderness without food or drink, contemplating enlightenment.

In fact, Pei Chao did not know much about the Mutual Aid Society either.

For the past few days, Pei Chao had spent most of his time outside the town. The occasional times he returned to the town center were only to eat a hearty meal.

More often, however, others from Zhao Gang's team brought him food.

After witnessing the danger and terror of the mist beyond the town, not everyone had shrunk back. Three teams had formed outside the town, each consisting of several dozen people.

The largest team had fifty people. Of the other two, one had more than thirty people, while the other had more than twenty.

It could be said that these three teams were the elite among the town's twenty thousand people.

By a twist of fate, Pei Chao had joined Zhao Gang's team, and among its thirty-plus members, he was considered the strongest.

Logically speaking, with his strength, he should have done quite well. Yet the atmosphere of the team clashed completely with his nature, making him feel deeply uncomfortable.

In his view, when facing Monsters, they should charge in headfirst and fight like this, rather than fussing around and devising tactics that were useless as tits on a bull.

Thus, last night, he had fallen out with Zhao Gang and become a lone wanderer. Then, this morning, he had been bound by the giant spider and encountered Feng Buzhi...

As if he had remembered something, Pei Chao spoke up in warning. "Right, Boss, there's one more thing. You can't kill people in this town, and you shouldn't casually make a move either. If something happens, it's best to settle it after leaving the town."

Feng Buzhi had already told Pei Chao that he had sat cross-legged outside the town for seven days. Pei Chao felt that Boss Feng might not know about this.

As Pei Chao spoke, a trace of lingering fear appeared in his eyes. A few days ago, in a fit of rage, he had killed someone who had failed to recognize his place. Fortunately, it had not happened in the town.

Feng Buzhi asked in confusion, "What happens if someone kills a person in this town?"

Pei Chao said solemnly, "After someone kills a person in this town, the crystal at the town center sends out a red light that enters the killer's body. They see terrifying scenes, and if they leave the town, they attract the Monsters in the mist and drive those Monsters mad."

Feng Buzhi said in surprise, "Red name?"

Pei Chao nodded repeatedly. "Yes, that's the term. They call it the Red Name Curse. Zhao Gang said it's a term from an online game. I've never played online games, so I don't know what that is."

Pei Chao walked on as he described what he had seen and heard over the past few days.

Although there were clearly fewer people active at night, the central square contained the necessity for people's survival—food. Thus, as they approached the center of the square, more and more people appeared on the road.

By the time they reached the center of the square, a long queue had already formed.

The center of the square was no longer a chaotic mess. Members of the Mutual Aid Society maintained order there, and everything appeared very harmonious and orderly.

However, an uninvited guest had arrived: Pei Chao.

Ignoring the long line nearby and without greeting the Mutual Aid Society members maintaining order, Pei Chao carried Feng Buzhi on his back, stepped over the barricade in a single stride, and headed straight for the crystal stele at the center of the square...