Chapter 33: Recollections of the Immortal Fox
…I was really foolish, truly.
…I should have damn well carried Simozi back home earlier.
While gazing at the scene where red mist rose, Bai Wei's innermost thoughts were filled with ten thousand curses, on the verge of escaping his lips.
Yingzhou, this level is not quite up to par.
Everyone knew there would be terrorist attacks, but did no one consider the possibility of the adversary simply unleashing havoc?
After enduring so many years of being beaten, there's surprisingly so little sense of prevention?
No wonder they have been constantly suppressed and humiliated by the heretics of the evil gods. It's embarrassing, truly embarrassing.
Can't they learn a thing or two from the Ming Country's direct rotation system, where the border is continuously engulfed in the roaring flames of artillery for a decade without rest? They should pull in all the army corps to deal with this kind of thing!
Whenever a captured missionary of the cult is apprehended, they should be promptly escorted to the border of Goryeo and subjected to artillery execution.
After the artillery execution, they even hold up megaphones and sarcastically chant phrases like "Today is a good day" and "Congratulations, congratulations, congratulations to you," mocking back and forth.
Congratulations!
Nowadays, the general public is eagerly reporting on the cult members.
On the mountain, immortal beings and certain local deities occasionally venture out into the wild, carrying a few missionary cult members as a token of goodwill to present to the authorities. In return, they receive an esteemed commendation flag to bring back home, all while incidentally enhancing their own reputation.
Behold, this is what true public participation looks like.
Bai Wei's psychological activities are quite rich, with various expressions of disdain, but physically he still maintains a respectful distance.
Although he is unsure of the true nature of this thing, it appears highly dangerous at first glance, and it is possible that even a mere encounter with it could prove fatal.
Currently, a crimson mist has enveloped the region, making it inconvenient for him to rush in and rescue people.
Even though he had a rough idea of the whereabouts of Jingūji, he dared not recklessly venture inside.
What a pity that I am now a novice… My empire has already perished.
Let us not dwell upon the valor of yesterday.
Bai Wei couldn't come up with any good solutions. He swung his sword, slashing through it with sword energy, but it was akin to a knife cutting through a flowing river. Even if a temporary gap appeared, it would quickly close up.
He even considered whether to take a rope and tie it into a loop, emulating the Western cowboys who throw lassos… But here, there is no rope, nor any lasso.
"I can only attempt to let her figure it out on her own."
Gazing at the indigo exclamation mark, faintly emerging within the crimson mist.
For every additional moment Jingūji lingers, peril grows in proportion, and her life gauge can only endure a few more minutes.
The blood mist erodes the soul, necessitating a race against time.
Bai Wei closed his eyes, concentrating his consciousness on the exclamation mark, envisioning gripping it with one hand and forcefully squeezing it to trigger its impact.
[A Dream of the Past, the Nostalgia of the Celestial Fox]
In the instant the exclamation mark was triggered, a resounding buzz echoed through Bai Wei's sea of consciousness. He opened his eyes, feeling as if he were treading barefoot upon a sandy terrain.
On the left, there are tides; above, the twinkling stars; on the right, an endless stretch of coastline. The footprints left along the journey continue to spread, gradually engulfed and erased by the tides.
However, there is still something that remains etched in memory.
A brilliant starlight shimmered in his eyes, as if a shooting star streaked across the bright day.
…
[Number 37, Awakening]
…
To regain one's self-awareness from the world of dreams is an easily achievable task.
Bai Wei has experienced numerous lifetimes, even if memories are sealed, the past cannot restrain his self-will.
I am who I am.
I am the one and only.
I am aware of my slumber, however…
Why haven't I woken up yet?
Bai Wei surveyed the unfamiliar surroundings, confirming that he was still within his memories. Here, even the passage of time was chaotic, akin to a film meticulously arranged with a predetermined sequence, where everything proceeded in an orderly fashion. However, paradoxically, every inch of its corners felt vividly delicate.
This memory carries neither a hint of discord nor a trace of suppression, for it belongs to Bai Wei himself. Wandering through this realm, memory and consciousness intertwine like branches and leaves, forming a symbiotic connection.
Bai Wei calmed his heart, and as a result, time began to flow.
He sat by the bonfire, before him was a crowd of people dressed as martial arts heroes. It was a banquet, with goblets clashing and intertwining.
Bai Wei sat alone by the bonfire, merely gazing at the emblems on the carriages, and in an instant, he recollected the origins of this group of individuals and also reflected upon his own origins.
The hunter, amidst the Great Wilderness, encountered a myriad of monstrous creatures, as part of the Demon-hunting Legion, alongside an archaeological expedition…
A person sat down by the bonfire, giving Bai Wei a pat on the shoulder. "The harvest this time has been quite impressive. We're nearing our final destination, and tomorrow everyone will go their separate ways. I must say, your strength is remarkable. Have you ever considered joining our Demon-hunting Legion? It's much more profitable than being with an archaeological expedition."
This person carried an exceptionally large sword on his back. He is the commander of the Demon-hunting Legion and one of the prominent hunters in the vast expanse of the Great Wilderness.
Bai Wei remained noncommittal, simply shaking his head and saying, "Work is work, and I must return."
"Hey, why are you so stubborn? It's not easy for one person to make the journey back, especially when it comes to supplies…" Another hunter, who had clearly had too much to drink, approached and attempted to persuade him.
Bai Wei, wearing an expressionless face.
The leader of the hunters felt a bit regretful and said, "Alright, if that's your decision, I won't insist. Whenever you come to your senses and decide to return, you are welcome to find me. With such a bountiful harvest this time, you can take a bit more."
Upon hearing this statement, Bai Wei showed some reaction and said, "I can do without the rest, just give me that."
"What?" The leader of the hunters followed Bai Wei's gaze and raised an eyebrow. "Why do you want that? It's just a burden."
"I can do without other rewards."
"…Alright." The leader of the hunters walked towards the convoy, and within a short while, returned to the side carrying a cage. Placing the cage on the sandy ground, he stated, "It's yours now, but be cautious. This thing isn't easy to raise and at best, it can serve as a mere ornamental piece. It's not worth much either."
As the crowd gradually dispersed, the celebration around the bonfire came to an end.
Bai Wei sat beneath a sheltering rocky outcrop, and lifted the dust cover of the cage, revealing a small creature with cherry blossom-colored fur huddled inside.
He examined the cage carefully and soon a smile appeared on his face. "Indeed, I haven't mistaken… It is an immortal fox, and a young one at that. If they were to catch wind of this, you would surely face a fate of being skinned and stripped bare, considering they are nearly extinct as a species."
The petite immortal fox, thin and delicate, resembled a ferret as it weakly emitted a couple of cries.
Bai Wei considered for a moment and took out a verdant plant from his pocket. He plucked a leaf and placed it beside the cage.
It immediately clamped its jaws tightly around it, refusing to let go, indicating that it must have been extremely hungry.
The immortal fox delights in consuming spirit plants and drinking nectar… The statements in the records are indeed accurate.
Bai Wei addressed it, saying, "After consuming my offering, you shall heed my words from now on."
The immortal fox bared its teeth and grinned.
"You may not understand human language at the moment, but you are intelligent and will soon learn. I will teach you these things," Bai Wei said slowly. "First, let's make an introduction. My surname is Bai, and you may address me as Mr. Bai. I am a specialist in the conservation of rare animals."
Initially, it was unable to speak and harbored great distrust towards him, thus necessitating confinement in a cage and manual handling.
Then, it gradually made progress, acquiring the ability to distinguish human speech, mastering the simplest meanings of words, and commencing its grasp on reading and writing.
Bai Wei released the immortal fox from its cage, and together they resided for approximately fifty days, establishing the initial sense of trust.
The spiritual intelligence of the immortal fox is roughly equivalent to that of a child of around ten years old, both clever and cunning, occasionally becoming a bit stubborn.
As Bai Wei prepared to depart, the fox hid in the corner and refused to leave, no matter what.
Even if it resists, this place is not suitable for long-term residence, after all, relocation is inevitable.
Then, what follows is a long and arduous journey.
…
"You ask me why I have to prepare all this? Of course, it is to make preparations for going back."
"Simply reaching this place in the Great Wilderness took two and a half years, so the return journey for a single person would only be even longer."
…
"You wonder why it is necessary to go back?"
"This is truly a stupid fox."
…
"A solo journey is lonely, and I too feel the same. Imagine how lonely it would be without anyone to accompany."
"If, and I mean if, if I were to collapse on the way back, you must…"
"Stop biting, is it not enough that I won't speak anymore? Ouch, it hurts!"
"Sir, bad!"
"… Are you able to speak now?"
