Ch 365: The Choice
Liu Ke, a smile on his face, contentedly walked out of the mysterious Gate. His steps were light, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.
After stopping, he turned his gaze to the other two closed Gates, and anxiously asked, “Have Gu Yuan and Zhang Shang not come out yet?”
The Monkey beside him shook his head, a worried expression on his face, replying, “Not yet, Brother Liu, what wish did you make?”
Liu Ke’s lips curled slightly, saying indifferently, “You don’t need to know what wish I made, because it’s of no use to you.”
Before his words finished, Zhang Shang slowly walked out of one of the Gates. Surprisingly, someone was closely following him—it was Zhou Chenwu, who was already dead!
Seeing this, everyone understood. Zhang Shang certainly used one of his wishes to resurrect Zhou Chenwu. His other wish, most likely, was to extend his Mother’s lifespan.
After a while, Gu Yuan also came out of the last Gate. He looked the same as everyone else, with no obvious changes.
Liu Ke looked around at the other nine people, a feeling of emotion rising in his heart. He didn’t know if he would have the opportunity to meet these people again.
At that moment, Liu Ke took a deep breath and said, “The Rules are over, let’s part ways.” His voice was exceptionally clear in the quiet area.
However, just as everyone was preparing to leave, a series of “caw, caw” sounds suddenly came from above the area. Everyone looked up and saw a Crow circling endlessly in mid-air, continuously muttering, “Take me away, take me away…”
However, no one heeded the Crow’s plea. Its voice echoed in the empty area, sounding rather desolate and helpless.
Soon, everything around them began to gradually turn white, as if shrouded in a Thick Fog.
Liu Ke returned to the woods. He walked slowly, his gaze falling on his shoulder, where the Mantis remained quietly perched.
He took a deep breath, feeling the changes in his body. The life extension was successful, and the illusion had been alleviated. This should have been something to be happy about, but Liu Ke’s mood was unusually heavy.
He silently walked to the place where he had put his Items, and took out the painting and the brush. The painting was his Treasure, and the brush was his weapon.
Liu Ke stared at the painting, his thoughts drifting away. He remembered what the Middle-Aged Man had said when he was about to leave: “You have the Incantation Brush and the Luoshan Haiyun Map, you can go home directly, you don’t need to walk back.”
However, Liu Ke did not choose to use these tools. He still decided to walk home step by step. He didn’t know why, perhaps because he wanted to use this method to prove his Existence, or because he had a special feeling for this land.
Liu Ke picked up the Brush with the red brush tip, and lightly sketched on the Landscape Painting. His strokes were delicate and smooth, and soon, the outline of the Blade Catcher Gate appeared on the paper.
Just as he was about to leave, the group of people who had been following him suddenly ran out.
“Benefactor, you’re leaving?” Their voices revealed a hint of anxiety and reluctance.
Liu Ke nodded. He looked at these people, feeling somewhat helpless.
“Benefactor, take us with you,” they hurriedly said, their eyes full of anticipation.
Liu Ke was silent for a moment, then slowly said, “I am an Imperial State Blade Catcher. If you return to the Imperial State with me, you will not have a Household Registry.”
He paused, and continued, “If you want to obtain a Household Registry, there are two Methods. One is to become an Imperial State Blade Catcher like me, and the other is to join the military and become an Imperial State Martial Family member.”
The group looked at each other, their anticipation slowly replaced by hesitation. An older man stepped forward half a step, his voice tentative, “Blade Catchers… is it like you, facing those strange and bizarre dangers?”
Liu Ke glanced at the Mantis on his shoulder. The little creature had raised its forelegs at some point, as if echoing his words. “Yes,” he admitted honestly, “Blade Catchers guard not only the Household Registry, but also the Imperial State’s Rules. If you encounter ‘Things’ that don’t follow the Rules, you have to take action.”
Another younger man clenched his fists, “Then… what about the Martial Family? Is it safer?”
“Joining the military means you must abide by military discipline,” Liu Ke’s gaze swept over the mud on their feet, “The Imperial State border is not peaceful, Martial Family members are stationed there year-round, and there is no shortage of Blade Light and sword shadows. But at least, every step is in the open.”
Silence spread through the woods, only the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the Leaves. The man who had spoken earlier gritted his teeth, “I choose Blade Catcher. You saved our lives, and following you to uphold the Rules is better than being aimless in the mountains.”
Several people behind him immediately agreed, their eyes gradually shining. The remaining people didn’t move. The young man scratched his head, “I… I want to choose the Martial Family. My father always said that being a soldier allows one to stand tall, I want to try.”
“We want to go home!”
Liu Ke looked at their individual expressions, and after a moment of silence, picked up the Incantation Brush, gently tapping the tip on the Luoshan Haiyun Map.
The Blade Catcher Gate, which had only been outlined, suddenly emitted a pale green glow. The mountains, rocks, and plants in the painting seemed to come alive and began to flow.
“Hold on tight,” he whispered, the Mantis on his shoulder suddenly spread its Wings, its wingtips touching the painting, and the entire painting suddenly stirred up a wave ten feet high—not an ink wave, but a wind carrying the fresh Qi of plants and trees, sweeping everyone into the painted World.
Everyone felt their feet leave the ground, and when they opened their eyes again, they were already standing on solid Flagstones. Looking up, the vermilion Gate of the Blade Catcher Gate was right in front of them, and the copper bells hanging under the eaves were gently ringing with the wind. The mud that had been on their shoes in the woods had now turned into light dust on the soles of their feet.
“This… we’re here already?” The young man touched his Bag. The Dry Food inside still carried the dampness of the Mountains and Forests, but the street scene before him was clearly that of a city, and the aroma of braised meat wafting from a distant Tavern was so real it made people salivate.
The men who chose Blade Catcher looked at the figures in strong attire coming and going within the Gate, the Patterns on their swords subtly echoing Liu Ke’s own, and suddenly understood the weight of the three words “upholding the Rules.”
Those who chose the military had already seen the flag at the recruitment office on the street corner. The bright red flag with the four gold characters “Protect the Country and the People” was particularly dazzling in the sunlight.
When Liu Ke put away the scroll, the Mantis had already jumped back onto his shoulder and smoothed its antennae.
“Go in,” he nudged towards the Blade Catcher Gate, “Those who chose Blade Catcher turn left and find the Administrator; those who want to join the military go straight north for three streets.”
