oni tsubo - Capítulo 20
--wait.
(You want me dead? None of you will live happily! I will not die until the very end! I must wait! I must keep waiting!) — Waiting for a miracle!
Just like in any other exam, she was always patient. Even if there were only a few fill-in-the-blank, multiple choice, or true/false questions that she couldn't answer and was certain she wouldn't, she would never give up. When she was the only one left in the exam room with a few anxious proctors, a miracle would happen. The strict proctor would impatiently tap on her exam paper, "Hand in your paper! Hurry up!" Or, another proctor might even sit opposite her, holding the exam paper up as if the questions were hidden behind it, carefully reviewing it.
So she finished answering the question smoothly.
But in such a place, in such an environment, is it possible for a miracle to happen?
--have.
Miracles are created by people. If you don't believe in miracles and don't try, how can miracles possibly happen?
—She witnessed a miracle.
Miracles are waited for. But this miracle was a terrible one.
thin.
Unusually thin.
V. On the Bridge of Helplessness
The mechanisms within had been completely destroyed. The leader recalled three disciples and began to teach them his skills.
—Even in such a dangerous situation, he still did not forget to pass on his skills, and his three disciples learned very diligently. Are such people destined to be terrifying, but also truly worthy of respect?
"This is a complex mechanism," the leader explained. "It's called the 'Bridge of Helplessness,' meaning that anyone who encounters it is doomed to die."
"However, there are many kinds of death. Whether one becomes a ghost, a god, or is reincarnated, or wanders aimlessly as a lost soul, there are many different interpretations."
"Sanya Road is the road of 'humans, ghosts, and gods'."
“Analyzing the current situation, I am on the ‘Path of Ghosts,’ I am a ‘ghost’; the other side is on the ‘Path of Humans,’ they are ‘humans’; and the cliff where Tong Rong’s corpse lies is the ‘Path of Gods,’ they are ‘gods’… However, we are heading towards the other side, that is to say, crossing the ‘Bridge of Helplessness’ will allow us to transform from ‘ghosts’ into ‘humans’; the other side is exactly the opposite, crossing the Bridge of Helplessness will instead turn humans into ‘ghosts.’ To become a god, one must inevitably cross the cliff and walk down that broken path.”
"The large round disc in the center of the bridge, where Xu Fangfang and Du Liu stopped, is the real bridge. No matter which way they turn back, they must first become wandering ghosts."
"The correct name for the path of humanity on the other side is 'Heavenly Collapse.' If the heavens collapse, those who live among us will undoubtedly suffer. The pillar of heaven is located beneath Ding Dada's body. However, its exact location is difficult to ascertain. We will only know after we have crossed over."
"Our path of the ghosts should be correctly called the 'Looking-Homeward Platform.' Standing on the platform and looking towards home, there is endless suffering, but there is still hope. As long as we always maintain the belief of 'looking homeward,' we can return to the human world. The Looking-Homeward Platform is lonely and helpless, so it is the edge of the platform, which is also the location of the central hub. 'Home' is far away and has no fixed point, so it does not have a central hub."
"That path to the gods should be correctly called the 'Tower of Babel,' which leads directly to the 'heavenly realm' to become a 'god.' In principle, it has no mechanisms, only a precipitous cliff that separates the path. To become a 'god,' one only needs to jump down. Or—should it be the path on the other side?...Because the meaning of 'god' is ambiguous here, I cannot be certain."
"The central hub of these 'Heavenly Trap,' 'Longing for Home,' and 'Connecting to Heaven' mechanisms is located on the 'Bridge of Helplessness.' Based on my observations, when I break the mechanisms in a short while, three iron or stone chains will be pulled out, representing 'Heaven's Ruthlessness,' 'Earth's Injustice,' and 'Human Suffering.' Once connected, they can control the 'Bridge of Helplessness,' connecting the three paths of Heaven, Earth, and Humanity, thus preventing the continuous activation of the mechanisms."
He spoke in a low voice, and his three disciples nodded repeatedly.
Chen Xing listened intently, his ears perked up.
The eldest brother suddenly raised his voice slightly and said, "Chen Xing. Now, you're a ghost."
Chen Xing was startled and exclaimed in horror, "A ghost? I'm a ghost?"
"That's right. Because you are the only person who crossed the Bridge of Helplessness before it officially appeared, you are a ghost. A vengeful ghost."
"A very wronged ghost."
---Magpie Bridge Fairy
Reply [56]: *** *** ***
After the banter, the eldest disciple made a series of hand gestures and uttered many strange and incomprehensible words, sounding almost like alien language. The three disciples nodded repeatedly, clearly understanding.
This is undoubtedly their inside language, something they don't want anyone else to understand.
But Chen Xing suddenly asked, "Boss, why can the mechanism only be broken after one person dies?"
The eldest disciple was taken aback. His three disciples were all stunned.
The four men, with eight eyes, all gazed at Chen Xing.
The same chilling atmosphere, the same ruthlessness, the same indifference, the same murderous intent.
“I’m also a member of the underworld,” Chen Xing said frankly. “In fact, A-Ding Du Liu and I both come from the same martial arts school. We were taught by three elders of that school. Due to some special reasons, people from this school have to hide themselves even more deeply than you. And we don’t intend to enter the underworld. So, we don’t know most of the underworld’s code words. The only one we understood just now was this one. But we know how to contact each other—otherwise, why would I ask you for help?”
"Why would you agree to take me in? Otherwise, how would A-Ding have known your true intentions? If Li Jun hadn't been courting death, he would have already revealed your intentions. And have you considered why Du Liu would use the 'Two-Hearted Blade'?"
The eldest brother was startled: "The successor of the Jackal Sect? -- How should I address Luo Xiaoyu?" (For details, please refer to my book "The Great Escape from the Underworld Series") "She is Du Liu's senior sister."
"And you?" the leader asked, his expression even more stern.
"The only true disciple of the Wolf Pack."
Where is Ding Dada?
"Then you'll have to ask him yourself," Chen Xing said, shrugging.
The eldest brother didn't believe it: "But you belong to the same artistic school."
Chen Xing nodded and said, "That's right. But don't forget, in the old generation of the underworld, apart from the current ruling Dragon Faction and the outcast Monkey Faction, the fallen Snake Faction, Fox Faction, Leopard Faction, Jackal Faction, and Wolf Faction can all be called a faction. Their active period was more than a decade ago. If your true identity is prominent, you will naturally know their nicknames."
The eldest brother shook his head. "I don't understand. And there's no need for me to understand." He took a deep breath and said again, "Your status is very high, how should I treat you?"
“I’m just an ordinary person,” Chen Xing said. “My only wish is to get out of here alive with you. I just beg you not to abandon me.” He sighed forlornly, “Actually, I never wanted to reveal my identity. But since I’ve been forced to this point, I have no choice but to abandon my dignity and return to the underworld. After all—in the underworld, at least there are some principles; but in the human world, there are no principles at all. Everyone is blind to filial piety and unable to distinguish truth from falsehood…” Suddenly, he looked up at the boss, “I know you doubt me. In fact, coming here was out of sheer desperation. But since I’m already a despicable person, since I’m already a ‘wronged ghost,’ why can’t I just become a vengeful ghost, a malevolent spirit!”
“You don’t need to be wary of me!” he said.
The boss slowly nodded. "Okay. I believe you. But there are some industry secrets that you won't understand even if you know them."
Simply put, it's a ritual of 'blood for blood, life for life,' where only the safety of the person breaking the mechanism can be guaranteed after bloodshed and death. The best outcome, of course, is the death of the person involved. But now, since someone has already sacrificed their life to break the mechanism, there should be no further danger. Enough of this digression. I'm going to break the mechanism.”
He carefully walked onto the "Bridge of Helplessness." Xu Fangfang remained quietly in her original posture, not daring to move. However, her hateful eyes followed the leader's movements, as if she wanted to devour him alive.
The eldest brother frowned and said, "You don't need to glare at me. If you hadn't acted impulsively, we wouldn't have fought at all; after he was injured, if you hadn't tried to pull him up, his injuries wouldn't have gotten worse. If you're going to glare, you'd better glare at yourself."
As he spoke, he would squat, rise, lean back, and bend forward, his movements so rapid they were almost impossible to follow. The objects in his hands changed in an instant, and it was impossible to tell what they were using. In terms of speed, he was like an eagle soaring into the sky, while his three disciples were like old and weak snails.
A moment later, he stopped and waved behind him.
Xiao Dao immediately stepped forward, and Xiao Chan retrieved a pile of tools.
The eldest brother leaped onto Xiao Dao's shoulder, quickly caught the various tools thrown by Xiao Chan, and rapidly tapped, pressed, twisted, inserted, knocked, and pulled them. After a moment, he suddenly stopped.
A creaking sound rang out.
The eldest brother reached out and pulled down an iron chain from above. At the same time, Xiao Dao and Xiao Chan worked together, each pulling out an iron chain from somewhere.
The three iron chains were connected, and the eldest brother patiently tied knots, dead knots, and slipknots on the chains.
"Bang!" Another sound.
The eldest brother listened intently for a moment. "Alright." He jumped down easily, clapped his hands, glanced at the dazed Xu Fangfang, "—Get up, give him some water, and he'll be fine." Then he waved, signaling Chen Xing and Er Gou to bring the trolley over.
The sled was pulled onto the "Bridge of Helplessness," and the leader raised his voice: "Those who want to live, come over; those who want to die, stay."
But then he suddenly paused, startled.
Unbeknownst to them, their eyes, which had never shown fear before, now betrayed an uncontrollable terror.
Inside the “sky-sinking” room, all the men and women suddenly became thinner.
(They were not just thin, they were as thin as if they hadn’t eaten anything for two or three months and were just skin and bones. They had become living skeletons.) --- Magpie Bridge Fairy replied [57]: But he noticed that the faces of those people had also changed.
The skull's face should have been expressionless, yet its only remaining eyeball, which hadn't thinned, almost bulged out of its socket. The meaning deep within those eyes was singular: "A ghost! A ghost!"
He turned around and immediately saw seven people: Xiao Dao, Xiao Chan, Er Gou, Chen Xing, Huang Zilan, Wei Yiyi, and An Yingying.
—Seven living skeletons that are difficult to identify.
He also saw his own hands.
—No need to ask, they are no different from the others.
The only two people who haven't changed are Xu Fangfang and Du Liu.
There is only one item that has changed relatively little: Ding Dada.
But at this moment, the leader was no longer considering why people's faces and bodies had changed so much. His immediate thought was: why, after the mechanisms were broken, was everything around him still unchanged? Why hadn't things returned to normal? Could there be hidden mechanisms that hadn't been broken yet? If so, where would they be?
He looked at the iron chains.
The darkness of "Heaven is heartless"; the darkness of "Earth is unjust"; the darkness of "human suffering is abundant"?
The eldest brother was shocked—the third iron chain was also dark black!
(But how can human suffering be so dark? It must be different from heaven and earth, different from heartlessness and injustice.) A terrible conjecture suddenly emerged: —Could it be there?
(If he were there, would he already know?)
*** *** ***
Adin knows.
He knew the last chain was beneath him, on his back, slowly emerging and drilling into his body.
But he couldn't move.
If he moves, not only will he die, but everyone will die.
Because there's one thing the boss is wrong about. The one who could kill everyone with a single move was him, not Xu Fangfang.
In fact, his unfinished sentence, interrupted by Li Jun, should have been: "Your goal is to make me move, and then drag everyone around me into an abyss. But do you know the real reason I can't move?"
The real reason is three words. Three raised, easily noticeable words: —The tomb master may not understand any secrets of the mechanisms, but he still understands a simple principle: the location of the tomb master is the location where the power of life and death is held.
The chain's sharp point had already pierced his skin.
He forced himself to remain still.
But others couldn't resist.
*** *** ***
Inside the cave, the skeletons were terrified.
For them, death itself wasn't frightening—as long as it wasn't themselves who died; what was frightening was this sudden change, watching helplessly as familiar faces turned into living skeletons, all staring wide-eyed—almost bulging out of their sockets—mouths agape, at the other skeletons and themselves. Even more frightening was that everyone knew how to use logic to reason, everyone could immediately conclude that they too had become skeletons.
The most terrifying thing is wanting to escape but not daring to, wanting to scream but unable to make a sound, not wanting to die but feeling weak and swaying all over, with no idea whether you can hold on until the next second.
In that instant, the leader roared:
"Don't move!"
The shout was indeed effective; those who thought they could no longer persevere immediately gained the confidence and willpower to keep going.
Especially Zhu Qian.
Nobody is interested in skeletons.