Chapter 136: Our WoW Raid Team Needs You

"Shōjōseki!!"

Seeing where the stone had fallen, Professor Beishan and the others cried out in unison.

Isn't that exactly the location of the Shōjōseki?

Legend says that Tamamo-no-Mae was surrounded and slain by five hundred thousand troops and countless onmyōji, sorcerers, and Gao Seng in the Nasuno Plains, yet her ambition and obsession remained preserved there in the form of the Shōjōseki, waiting endlessly for the moment of revenge.

Something's off.

Why did Tamamo-no-Mae alter history and even sacrifice her Jade Fan to become the Shōjōseki? If it was merely to ensure historical authenticity—to make people believe the altered history was the real one—it seems unnecessarily elaborate.

With her peerless, heaven-and-earth-shaking power, she could have simply turned any ordinary stone into the Shōjōseki; she didn't need to use the Jade Fan.

The Jade Fan was Tamamo-no-Mae's magical artifact—such an important item, used merely as a stone to prove historical alteration? It's like using a battle axe to kill a chicken.

After all, no matter how advanced future generations became, they could never detect Tamamo-no-Mae's forgery—it was the work of a supreme being. Not even ordinary people, let alone ancient transcendent beings, could possibly perceive it...

Suddenly.

Professor Zhongtian offered his view.

"What if altering history wasn't meant for ordinary people or transcendent beings at all? What if the main purpose wasn't for future generations to see it, but merely for them to become aware of it and accept it as history, spreading it as truth?"

The group preparing to rush to the Shōjōseki's location halted in their steps.

What?

"Professor Zhongtian, what are you saying? I don't understand a word of it," Director Takahashi asked.

What does it mean that altering history wasn't primarily meant for future generations to see, but only for them to become aware and spread it?

If not for future generations, then who was it for?

And what does "just awareness and spreading" even mean? If you spread it, isn't the whole point to make other future generations know? The logic contradicts itself.

Throughout history, people have altered history—but they did so only to make future generations know the altered version, to achieve their own goals: praising themselves, concealing their stains to avoid eternal infamy, ensuring their glory endured through time, and earning future admiration.

So.

Even though we don't know why Tamamo-no-Mae turned her own history into a negative one, it's certain she altered history to make future generations aware of this altered version.

Otherwise, if she wanted no one to know this history, she could have simply silenced everyone present and kept it buried—no need to alter anything at all.

Ancient transcendent beings aren't ordinary people; their willpower and inner calm far surpass normal limits. They know exactly what to say and what to keep silent.

Historical figures acted this way: if they didn't want a certain history known, they erased it. If they wanted future generations to know something that wasn't true, they altered it and spread it—so that future generations would believe it and praise them.

Therefore, we can be certain: Tamamo-no-Mae altered history precisely to make future generations aware of it.

The only puzzle is why Tamamo-no-Mae would alter history into a negative version.

Throughout history, people have altered history—but no one has ever altered it to make themselves look worse. All alterations were made to earn future praise.

Director Takahashi and the others grew more and more confused, unable to make sense of it.

Now, with Professor Zhongtian's contradictory theory, everyone was even more baffled.

Meanwhile,

They boarded a helicopter and headed toward the Shōjōseki's location.

They assumed the stone formed from Tamamo-no-Mae's Jade Fan was the Shōjōseki only because the stone's landing direction matched the famous tourist site of the Shōjōseki in Tochigi Prefecture, and because the Shōjōseki was linked to Tamamo-no-Mae.

Now they were preparing to investigate—determine whether the stone formed from the Jade Fan truly was the Shōjōseki.

On the other side.

"Hurry! To the Shōjōseki!" The reporter dragged the cameraman running, jumped into the TV station's car, and sped off.

Miyagi Nao rode her rented electric scooter, putt-putt-putting along, heading the same way—she could see people all around rushing on motorcycles, cars, and bicycles.

The road was narrow, but the crowd was huge; cars immediately jammed up, and passengers inside cursed, regretting they'd come by car.

Even those on electric scooters and bicycles, though their vehicles were smaller, found the road blocked as crowds thickened—they couldn't move forward either, yet they still had a long distance to the Shōjōseki. Walking would exhaust them.

Just as the crowd erupted in noise, Miyagi Nao's petite yet curvaceous figure appeared.

She'd been riding her rented electric scooter when she saw the traffic jam. Without hesitation, she got off, opened the scooter's rear compartment, pulled out a pair of roller skates, and slipped them on.

Then, under the astonished and envious gazes of the crowd, she glided swiftly toward the Shōjōseki on her lightweight, convenient roller skates.

"Holy shit!" A reporter in a car stared dumbfounded, o(▽ヘ▽o＃)

Miyagi Nao, having survived a near-death experience, was in high spirits. She grinned (≧≦) and waved to the crowd: "I'll go ahead to scout the way to the Shōjōseki for you all!"

The crowd twitched at the corners of their mouths.

"No way! We need roller skates!"

"Buy them! Buy them now! Or get a skateboard too!"

"Damn it! Why didn't I think of buying roller skates?"

"Quick! Find the nearest skate shop!"

The crowd stirred, rushing toward the closest skate shop. There was no point rushing anymore—they'd miss it. Better to buy roller skates now as backup.

Because it was obvious: roller skates would sell out in the coming period. If you didn't buy now, you'd find none later. Those with money should buy several pairs—even if they didn't wear them, they could resell for profit.

After all, in today's world, transcendent events were growing more frequent. Who knew if one would appear here today and next door tomorrow? Cars were too bulky and inconvenient. For rapid response to scenes, lightweight, agile roller skates and skateboards were essential.

Inside the livestream.

【This stunt by the host? Perfect score.】

【Good job, host. Your gift is secured. Someone, reward him!】

【Solid. This collective mockery by the host? I see your potential as a T. Our WoW raid team needs you.】

【Say nothing else—I'm ordering roller skates on Amazon right now.】

【Friendly reminder: Order roller skates now, everyone. Amazon's sales are spiking. If you wait, you might not get any.】

Watching the comments, Miyagi Nao chuckled.

"Am I accidentally advertising for roller skate companies? If any roller skate company bosses are watching this livestream, don't forget to send money."

On the road.

Inside the helicopter, taking advantage of a lull during the flight, Director Takahashi turned to Professor Zhongtian with a question.

"Professor Zhongtian, could you explain what you meant by your earlier observation?"

They had been too busy boarding the helicopter earlier to ask, but now that there was time, everyone looked over, equally curious about Professor Zhongtian's seemingly self-contradictory view.

Feeling their gazes, Professor Zhongtian did not play coy and simply adjusted his glasses.

……