Chapter 415

The Shangsi Festival had passed only recently; those who came to welcome spring and stroll had gradually dwindled, for most people in this era labored tirelessly just to survive, even in the capital city, where common folk outnumbered the elite.

Even so, for officials, nobles, wealthy merchants, and literati, as long as the night curfew had not been reinstated, nightfall was when they truly enjoyed themselves.

At sunset, on the emerald lake where visitors strolled, a spring-viewing boat glided toward the peach grove along the riverbank; when the boatman moored it to shore, the pale gold hues on the peach blossoms faded, and soon after, lanterns hung across the boat glowed brightly with firelight.

Wisps of cooking smoke rose, blending the fresh aroma of lake fish with the fragrance of peach blossoms.

Inside the cabin.

Li Huowang was hosting Su Lin and Meng Qi with Bai Lingmiao; the two had contacted him in advance, but just then he had taken on a commission from the Jian Tian Si to hunt down spirit deviants in this area, so to avoid suspicion and prevent accidents, he had temporarily rented this pleasure boat for business use.

Li Huowang was naturally delighted—having these two assist him meant that no matter what the dice and the invaders of this world did, the likelihood of Ji Zai appearing during the Dragon Vein Ceremony would greatly increase.

"Miaomiao, this is Su Lin, Brother Su, whom I've told you about many times, and this is Meng Qi, Brother Meng."

Li Huowang introduced them cheerfully to Bai Lingmiao:

"Let Brother Su help you soon—your eyes will be healed effortlessly, far more effective than those damn immortal sects."

"Brother Su, Brother Meng, thank you for looking after Brother Li," Bai Lingmiao greeted them with deep gratitude, "I'm truly indebted to you."

The two Daoists before her wore simple Daoist robes, one black, one white; even though Bai Lingmiao's vision was already blurred, she still felt an ethereal aura.

"Sister, you're too polite—it's just a minor matter."

Su Lin smiled faintly, but then glanced at Meng Qi beside him and noticed the man's appearance matched his own one-click outfit and hair dye upon entering this world—his expression turned peculiar; he was about to speak when Li Huowang interrupted him.

"Brother Su."

"What?"

"I assume you now know the situation—I've wanted to act for some time but feared the Zuowang Dao would interfere; now that you're here, I'm much more at ease… uh…"

Li Huowang hesitated, staring at the medieval classical wizard beside them—pointed hat, black robe; anyone unaware would think the man had wandered into the wrong scene. That alone was odd enough, but that monocle… it was far too famous.

"This person beside you is… Amon, right?"

Li Huowang asked.

"Oh, he's Anduin."

Su Lin introduced:

"The most outstanding graduate of my Silver Hand Academy; he will assume the alias Amon to help us investigate the Zuowang Dao."

"Hello," Amon adjusted the monocle carved from crystal on his right eye socket and said, "I am Anduin."

Bullshit! I'm Xin Su, sure, but I'm not insane right now!

For some reason, Li Huowang felt something ominous about this man's presence; his hallucination of Zuowang Dao was yelling, "Boss, that was brilliant!" and demanding to come out, so Li Huowang had Zhuge Yuan slap him.

"I've always found the Zuowang Dao organization fascinating—I think we should investigate it deeply," Amon grinned.

"But I need more data—you're guarding your secrets too tightly."

"By the way, is it okay if I directly take control of their organization?"

You don't seriously plan to become the dice, do you? Amon plus Zuowang Dao—doesn't that chemical reaction seem dangerously over the top?

Not only Li Huowang, but Meng Qi too cast questioning glances at Su Lin.

"All this scheming and intrigue is too troublesome."

"Honestly, mental exertion, conspiracies, this world's chaotic, rewritten timeline and reality—none of it even makes logical sense."

"I can't tell, I can't fucking tell!"

Su Lin propped his head up, suddenly looking anxious, then, as if giving up, his eyes grew vacant, and he said casually:

"By the way, Anduin has mentioned several times that he wants to visit other worlds, so I indulged him—I planned to offload this trouble."

"Correction: as part of the deal, he must fully dedicate himself to helping you during his time in this world."

"Also, this is a Non-Finite Trait from the Thief Path, Rank Two, taken from another of your original body's incarnations."

Su Lin pulled from his pocket a monocle carved from crystal, inside which a translucent black-and-white worm, like interlocking clock hands, wriggled.

He placed the monocle on the table; Li Huowang picked it up curiously to examine it—it was the first time he'd seen a Non-Finite Trait; it bore a powerful seal, its holy light flickering faintly.

"Stop staring—give it to him," Su Lin told Li Huowang.

"Heh," Amon took the monocle and laughed carelessly, "Nice—holy light is useful, but I'm more accustomed to this."

"Don't get yourself tangled up," Su Lin said offhandedly. "Your opponent is the world's ultimate con artist, who swindled his way from mortal to the very top."

Leaving aside combat power, Amon is indeed a thrill-seeking risk-taker, but his actions always require profit and rely on win-rate analysis; the Zuowang Dao's sole goal is amusement.

At these words, Amon's grin widened grotesquely; the candlelight in the cabin reflected off his monocle, radiating an indescribable eeriness.

"Isn't that more challenging?" Amon lifted his right monocle and said, "Perhaps I can steal something valuable from him."

Beside him, Meng Qi's eyebrows twitched—could you really do this? Send Amon against Zuowang Dao?

Meng Qi asked: "And what are you planning to do yourself?"

"Experience the local customs and scenery," Su Lin said coolly. "Isn't there some sect called the Fa Jiao causing trouble? It's connected to Fu Gen—go investigate what that thing really is."

If all goes well, let Amon work for you.

"But can we trust Amon?" Li Huowang asked directly, with no regard for Amon's presence.

Trust and distrust held no value for Amon; judging by his behavior and modus operandi, even his promises might have loopholes.

"You misunderstand me," Amon's grin faded as he studied Li Huowang and said:

"Didn't you invite me here to play, my friend, Red Middle Mr.?"

Li Huowang's lip twitched; he immediately asked his hallucination: "Did you invite him?"

The Zuowang Dao hallucination lowered his head, bowed, then burst into laughter:

"Red Middle Boss, you're at it again—your relationship's great, you even studied modern psychology together~~~"

"Bullshit!" Li Huowang cursed, but since others were present, he restrained himself slightly, cleared his throat, and replied, "That Zuowang Dao Red Middle isn't me—don't mistake him for me. When have I ever been friends with you?"

It was a hallucination manifested through his cultivation ability.

"Red Middle Boss, don't forget—you're the one who's Red Middle," the hallucination sneered. "You haven't remembered again, have you? After learning the future, you still don't recall? That book—I was the one who ran out and bought it for you."

Li Huowang froze, then remembered something: he still didn't know what suit this Faceless, Eyeless Cult of Oblivion was—only that the man called himself Red Center, and Li Huowang had always referred to him as Red Center.

"Oblivion?" Li Huowang frowned. "When did I ever—"

Before he finished speaking, he realized he'd overlooked something: Red Center had a Mahjong head. This Red Center had no face, no skin—who was that Mahjong head?!

Ever since the filming began, from the Mahjong people to the Mahjong head that manifested when he got drunk—

At this thought, Li Huowang tensed instantly, his mind a chaotic tangle: why was there another Red Center?!

"No. No!" Li Huowang's voice suddenly hardened. He glared at Amon.

"You two are conspiring to trick me!"

"I knew it—whenever the Cult of Oblivion teams up with you, nothing good comes of it! So you've been waiting for me here, huh?!"

"Tell me! When did you strike at me?!"

But Amon looked puzzled, then pointed at Su Lin and laughed: "Do you really think I could pull a stunt under his nose?"

Li Huowang's expression froze. He stared blankly at Su Lin and Meng Qi sitting side by side—both had their mouths open, pupils slightly unfocused.

"Brother Su, am I Red Center?"

"I just got here, damn. That was amazing."

Su Lin murmured.

"I can't tell. I really can't tell…"

Meng Qi whispered to himself.

Bai Lingmiao's expression turned strange. She suddenly felt an illusion: these three people Li Shixiong had brought were all a bit off—just like Li Shixiong himself.

At that moment, Zhuge Yuan also spoke:

"Brother Li, have you forgotten? After I checked that book, *The Dao of Strange Immortals*, I told you some things—including the past that Doumu Yuanzun forced into you. That past actually—"

Aside from events about to happen, the later content of that book, he had previously had the hallucination of Zhuge Yuan recount it to him like a storyteller.

These words acted like a switch, unlocking memories Li Huowang had deliberately ignored.

In the images rising in his mind, Li Huowang, under the support of the simulated universe, attempted to sever the past bestowed by Doumu, using temporary power to manifest Red Center Li Huowang.

But later, Li Huowang learned that when Su Lin's Heavenly Will support was removed, anything created through his power vanished—so he had never paid attention to the Cult of Oblivion self he had fabricated from memory.

"My other self." Li Huowang stood frozen, seeing in memory Red Center chatting idly with Amon.

【What if you give yourself a psychological suggestion without using transcendent power? Here, I have plenty of time to learn.】

【Interesting. What suggestion do you want to plant?】

【Secret. Just teasing a fool.】

In this world, Li Huowang was a man without a past. When he gained memory, he was already one of many medicinal ingredients in Qingfeng Pavilion under Dan Yangzi. Now he had a past—Doumu Yuanzun, wielding the authority of truth and falsehood, had interfered with history to fabricate one for him.

The past of Red Center, one of the Three Great Elements of the Cult of Oblivion.

In other worlds, cause precedes effect. But in this world, effect preceding cause was no longer strange.

"That's not me!!!" Li Huowang resisted the memories flooding in—scenes of him and Amon playing tricks on players.

Memories of him and Amon setting up a scheme together: he conned a man brimming with arrogance out of every last bit of his wealth, then stole his prize vouchers after the man turned the tide with spirit stones.

Memories of him wearing a monocle, trying to exploit a bug with the already-conned Red Center Amon to steal a real body and smuggle himself into another world.

Memories of him, drunk, manifesting a split self, goading the question: "Two Heavenly Emperors swept the six directions and conquered the eight wastes—who is stronger, Wang or Ye?"

And many more.

In the end, he even conned the hallucinatory Red Center.

Cold sweat poured in dense beads from Li Huowang's body. Had he done all these heinous things? Was hallucinatory Red Center some kind of lightning rod?

"Your next words are probably going to be, 'All of this is fake'?"

Amon suddenly smiled. In Li Huowang's stunned gaze, he stripped off his clothes to reveal a blood-red Dao robe, then peeled back his face—beneath it was a fleshy Mahjong face.

"Fake! Fake! All fake!!!" Li Huowang screamed.

Yang Na jumped, panicked, and looked helplessly at Li Huowang: "Huowang, aren't you better?"

Sun Xiaoqin rushed forward and hugged Li Huowang, tears streaming: "No school! We won't talk about school anymore! Son, Mom won't pressure you!"

At the Third People's Hospital psychiatric ward, Sun Xiaoqin, who had just finished yesterday's tests, held the enrollment notice for Li Huowang and was discussing tomorrow's enrollment with him.

Beside them, the attending physician crossed out "Normal" on his clipboard and wrote "Relapse."

Having heard Li Huowang was cured, Yang Na had sneaked away from her parents to meet him secretly—and today she had accompanied him for the evaluation.

Psychiatric evaluations normally involve only one attending physician. But because this patient was so famous—nationally renowned—two professor-level psychiatric experts happened to be in town for a conference. Hearing of Li Huowang's case, they came specifically to observe.

Li Huowang chuckled. "Mom, Nana, how was my acting? Hey, Mom, I'm sorry! Don't cry! I'm sorry!"

Seeing Li Huowang back to normal, Sun Xiaoqin frowned and slapped him lightly, then softened, voice trembling:

"If you don't want to go to school, just tell Mom. I don't care if you become rich or famous—I just want you healthy your whole life!"

"Huowang, I beg you—never pull a stunt like this again."

Li Huowang nodded guiltily, but he couldn't explain what happened in the other world, so he changed the subject: "It's fine, Mom. I'll go to school tomorrow. I've always wanted to study."

"Don't zone out. Look at me." One professor tapped the attending physician's shoulder, snatched the clipboard, and said:

"When he said that, his gaze never left you. He's probably dissatisfied with your test questions."

"I told you before—don't ask overly sharp questions during evaluations."

The attending physician nodded, as if he'd learned something.

After issuing the certificate, Sun Xiaoqin took Li Huowang and Yang Na out for dinner—it cost a lot: exactly 300 kuai.

When paying, Li Huowang saw Sun Xiaoqin's old lady's handbag and the loose change inside. He fell silent.

After dinner, they dropped Yang Na off at home. Under her father's displeased gaze, Sun Xiaoqin smiled apologetically and led Li Huowang away.

On the street, Li Huowang asked Sun Xiaoqin:

"Mom, are the gold jewelry I brought you still around? You and Dad have worked so hard for me all these years, and school will cost even more. Let me sell them—then you two can have it easier."

"That's saved up for your wedding!" Sun Xiaoqin took a firm stance on this matter, whispering:

"I asked around—those things hold their value!"

"Nana's family is well-off; we're just an ordinary household. If you two are to be together someday, you'll need savings. Don't worry—now that you're healed, I can find a steadier job."

"It's fine, don't worry about money, okay?"

Hearing Sun Xiaoqin's worries, Li Huowang stopped walking. He glanced at the empty street and the bus stop where she had paused; the dim advertisement lights cast her middle-aged figure, and suddenly he felt—

Truth or falsehood didn't matter much.

(End of Chapter)