Chapter 6: Walking in Chang Shi

What the hell is this suddenly popping-up 【Entering Chang Shi】?

Uesugi Toru examined this option with great interest.

【A Chang Shi Rift has been detected. You may now choose to enter Chang Shi for exploration.】

Aside from that, there were no further explanations.

He nodded thoughtfully.

Yeah, I don't get it.

Then Uesugi Toru clicked the 【Enter Chang Shi】 option that was flashing brightly.

Overthinking was useless; game mechanics he didn't understand would become clear once he actually started playing.

In an instant, Uesugi Toru's vision went black and he collapsed onto the bed.

……

Cold, unmoving.

The smell of rotting straw filled his nose; Uesugi Toru took a deep breath of murky, freezing air, held his head, and swayed as he sat up.

Without hesitation, he chose to transform into the Laughing Hannya, and the chaos in his senses vanished by more than half.

Uesugi Toru opened his eyes and saw the gloomy thatched hut and a large amount of translucent text before him.

【The long deep dive ends; you have arrived in Chang Shi...】

【This land, once bordering the Genjitsu, has long been forgotten by all and sunk into the depths of the sea abyss after ages. Thus, even the fall of the Lord of the Eternal World went unnoticed.】

【Chang Shi has lost its overlord; different eras have fallen into one sack, the rotting land breeds impurity, and evil spirits run rampant...】

【It is a paradise for yokai, a hell for the living.】

【Only by incarnating as a weak Stranger Soul of the Laughing Hannya can you, future Lord of the Eternal World, proceed.】

【Welcome to Chang Shi.】

Chang Shi?

In his memory, it seemed to be the opposite of the 【Genjitsu】 where humans live in myths...

The world where ghosts, yokai, and mononoke reside.

Uesugi Toru's eyes lit up.

Then wouldn't this Chang Shi be full of yaoguai on every street, full of walking Soul Ash everywhere?

—These are all my precious gacha resources!

He eagerly stood up, but his head accidentally bumped into something.

Clang—

A faint light rose within the decaying thatched hut; Uesugi Toru looked up and saw an old, dilapidated shrine covered in spider webs.

【You have lit the shrine of Edo Castle.】

【Shrine: Basic Anchor Point. After lighting, you can transfer here or resurrect here.】

Uesugi Toru roughly understood; this was like the spring in an online game, though this was probably an online game with only one player.

Thinking this, Uesugi Toru immediately prepared to go out and explore fiercely, while chopping down every small monster he met on the road to gather resources.

Soul Ash, I'm coming!

【Current Region Unlocked: Edo Castle (Four-Star)】

【Main Quest One: Explore at least 80% of Edo Castle; Current Exploration Degree: 0%】

【Main Quest Two: Exorcise Ghost Samurai — Ten Thousand Slash · Hojo (Four-Star), Thousand-Man Enemy · White Bone, Wax Figure (Three-Star Half).】

【Side Quest One: Gaze from Underground — Since you entered Edo Castle, you seem to have felt a faint gaze.】

Uesugi Toru, just about to push open the door of the thatched hut, froze, squinted at the two characters behind "Edo Castle," confirmed he hadn't misread them, and stood there in confusion, silent.

Seriously?

I'm a Half-Star juvenile Laughing Hannya, and you want me to explore a Four-Star Map?

I bet any random wild monster on the roadside could kick me to death.

And this Main Quest... wants me, a Half-Star Kokara, to exorcise Four-Star Ten Thousand Man Enemy Ghost Samurai?

If so, haha, then I'm invincible.

But on the other hand.

Uesugi Toru pondered.

Risk often means opportunity.

High-Star Maps definitely don't just have small monsters that can kick me to death; they must also have high-star items and props far beyond what I can currently get in reality or the gacha pool.

And judging from the shrine's information just now, I don't just have one life, but can keep resurrecting in Chang Shi.

Thinking this way, it wasn't so hard to accept.

And the prompt hasn't ended yet.

【Weak future Lord of the Eternal World, please choose one of the following three identities as the foundation for your standing in this turbulent Chang Shi.】

Uesugi Toru glanced at the three identity options and immediately made up his mind.

【Hojo Survivor: Our clan has fallen. Kamakura was burned to the ground in a great fire; now, you are the Hojo Clan's only hope. Effect: Charm +10, Prestige Increase. Unlocks Unique Special Event "Revive Hojo Clan."】

【Walker: Since ancient times, Walkers have measured the history and land of Chang Shi with their feet; you do the same. Effect: Increases Hidden Event Probability.】

【Sengoku Ronin: Ronin lost upon the Chang Shi Land. Effect: Physique +5, immediately gain Ronin Tachi, immediately gain 500 Soul Ash, Swordsmanship Training Speed Bonus.】

The Sengoku Ronin option needs no further words; exclude it directly.

Although the Ronin Tachi flashed with a deep blue light, likely a Rare Quality good weapon, and would immediately grant 500 Soul Ash to fill the current Soul Ash Deficit.

But this was clearly a pure Early Game Hero, and I'm not facing any urgent Survival Crisis right now; this identity's only Late Game Talent for training speed is limited to "Swordsmanship."

The Development Path is truly too narrow, pass.

As for the remaining two identities, Uesugi Toru thought for a moment, then still excluded the "Hojo Survivor" that could increase Charm and Prestige.

Because if he hadn't guessed wrong, the clan spoken of in this "Hojo Survivor" should be the Hojo clan of the late Kamakura period.

Reviving the Hojo clan is no problem, and he might even reap many Unexpected Harvests because of this identity.

But the problem is, different eras in the Common World all exist on the same piece of land.

Uesugi Toru didn't want to run into the Colossus that Destroyed Hojo Clan right after Entering the Common World; his Half-Star Laughing Prajna probably isn't even stronger than their Watchdog.

Since that's the case, there's only the choice of "Walker".

Increasing the probability of triggering Hidden Events is good, but just how large this "probability" is bears looking into.

And Uesugi Toru felt his Luck has never been too good; otherwise he wouldn't have Time Traveled into a cold Iron Cabinet.

【You have selected identity "Walker".】

His hand sank, and Uesugi Toru saw a Rusty Copper Token covered in Rust and Dust appear in his Palm, inscribed with Blur text — it should be the "Walker".

Uesugi Toru picked up a few strands of Straw, tied a simple Knot, and hung the Token at his Waist.

He stood in place again waiting a few Seconds, and after confirming no new Prompt appeared, he took a deep Breath once more, put on the Laughing Prajna Mask embedded with Hundred-Eyed Demon Eyeball, and gripped the old Firewood Knife in his Hand fan, ready to Backstab at any moment.

In this state, Uesugi Toru even had Confidence to contend with a One Star Evil Spirit.

Then, he gently placed his Palm on the Thatched Hut's main door.

Slowly pushed it open.

(End of Chapter)