Chapter 56: Me, My Own Fate

"You're taking advantage of me?"

Qin Menglan raised her eyebrows slightly.

"As for the blessing, actually, you're the one taking advantage of me," Tang Luo said. "From now on, whenever something happens somewhere, remember to let me go first."

Blessing is a risky investment, with the possibility of loss.

Once a loss occurs, it's the other party taking advantage of Master Xuanzang, and there's no problem with that.

Qin Menglan laughed and cried at the same time.

I didn't expect him to be such a narcissistic guy.

Indeed, men are all big pig's trotters.

Once women realize they're cute and beautiful, they become even cuter and more beautiful.

Men can't do that; once a man realizes he's handsome, he turns into a narcissistic idiot.

"As for your identity, arrange it as best you can," Qin Menglan said, skipping the topic of blessing. "Any other questions?"

From the data available.

Tang Luo in front of her had been in contact with the Demon God Game and had become a Demon God Walker for no more than three months at most.

At most, he's just a newcomer who's completed three missions.

As a newcomer, he definitely has many questions about the Demon God Game.

Anything related to the Demon God Game won't be recorded on paper or in any other readable format.

It will only be passed down orally among Demon God Walkers.

Qin Menglan had already prepared to answer thoroughly, and she had sat down beside Tang Luo.

But she also had some doubts in her heart.

That earlier probing push made Qin Menglan feel that this newcomer's strength was not ordinary.

Could it be that I made a wrong judgment?

Has this person already experienced six missions, undergone a qualitative change, and become a first-rank Demon God Walker?

"Yes, when will you arrange for me to take on a mission? First, let me make it clear: Master Xuanzang only acts chivalrously, punishes evil and promotes good, and does not participate in investigative work. It's best if you find someone who needs salvation—I'll go and save them." Tang Luo said.

"..."

Qin Menglan now just wants to save Tang Luo.

Crazy!

Has he gone chuuni?

"Wait a moment."

Qin Menglan suddenly thought of something, jumped up, and without thinking, placed her hands on Tang Luo's shoulders, looking down at him with a oppressive presence, and asked, "You, are you a Fate Holder?"

Normally speaking.

Qin Menglan would not make such a relatively intimate gesture toward a strange man.

On one hand, she indeed felt a bit emotionally stirred.

On the other hand, when Tang Luo traveled westward, he was also pursued and admired by many female demons as a "Holy Monk."

Men liking beautiful women and women liking handsome men is the same principle.

"Fate Holder?"

Tang Luo was a bit puzzled.

Another completely new term popped up.

"Is he not, or does he himself only half-understand?" Qin Menglan thought to herself.

Leaning toward the latter.

If Tang Luo in front of her were truly a Fate Holder, it could explain why his strength doesn't seem like that of a newcomer, as well as his chuuni behavior emphasizing his identity as Master Xuanzang.

"How much do you know about the Demon God Game?"

Qin Menglan sat down again, adjusted her posture, and prepared for a long talk.

Tang Luo briefly introduced what he knew.

Qin Menglan nodded: "Basically correct, but there's one thing to remember: everything we know is something we've gradually inferred ourselves, so don't take it as absolute."

To fully believe in books is as bad as having no books.

It's roughly the same principle.

"What is a Fate Holder?" Tang Luo asked.

"You know, the way we Demon God Walkers grow stronger, when you get down to it, is actually just two: equipment and skills." Qin Menglan said.

Tang Luo nodded.

Even if all-around improvement after six missions is still skills, just innate passive ones.

"But actually, there's a third kind, which is what I just mentioned: 'Fate.'" Qin Menglan said. "Compared to skills and equipment, Fate is nearly the perfect way for Demon God Walkers to grow stronger."

"Is it equivalent to a profession in the game?"

Tang Luo thought for a moment and asked.

Qin Menglan nodded: "You can understand it that way, but strictly speaking, it should be a unique 'inheritance'."

"I roughly understand."

Tang Luo's look of sudden realization made Qin Menglan feel that this person should indeed be a Fate Holder.

He's quite a lucky one.

"What does 'unique' mean?" Tang Luo continued to ask. "Does it mean there's no such thing as a 'Warrior Monk Fate,' 'Mage Fate,' or 'Wolf-Slaying Fate'—non-specific Fates not tied to a particular person? Or do such non-specific Fates exist, but only one person can obtain them?"

"Currently, what we understand is that only specific Fates exist." Qin Menglan said. "They refer to a single person, an individual, not a category."

"Isn't that just cosplay?" Tang Luo said.

"Uh—if you put it that way, I guess it's not wrong." Qin Menglan said.

What is a fate holder?

Simply put, if you obtain the "Saitama (One-Punch Man) fate," you become a "Saitama fate holder," and will naturally turn bald.

Finally becoming the grandfather of Little My—no, that's not it.

It is that, while turning bald, you also grow stronger, ultimately becoming One-Punch Man.

If you obtain the "Geralt of Rivia, Witcher fate," you will become a witcher's nail-driving sorceress, and if you exceed two meters in height, you will fall to your death.

Of course, that's not true either.

After obtaining a fate, you will grow stronger in the direction of the "fate owner."

Combat, training, cultivation, and even imitation.

Are all ways to grow stronger.

No longer relying on, or being limited by, skills and equipment.

What cooldown and casting restrictions—all can go to hell.

"That's right, I am——" Tang Luo said.

I didn't expect the god-demon game to have this kind of operation?

It's practically tailor-made for him.

From now on, I can openly and righteously call myself "Xuanzang"—let's see who still doubts?

My fate, I decide.

Qin Menglan waved her hand, not letting Tang Luo say his fate: "No need to say anything, including your skills and such—if you don't want to say it, you can keep it secret."

"Also, don't get too excited—fates have advantages, but also disadvantages. The weaknesses of the fate owner will also be inherited." Qin Menglan said.

As mentioned above, exceeding two meters in height leads to falling to death.

Not entirely a joke—the height at which one falls to death is actually a bit higher than two meters.

"At the same time, you also enter another, even more brutal killing field."

Qin Menglan looked at Tang Luo: "You killed Sun Ang, so you should know—when gods and demons walk among each other and kill, the one who dies has a certain probability of 'dropping' skills, right?"

Tang Luo indicated he knew.

When killing Sun Ang, it had appeared, but disappeared very quickly.

Later, K and Li Shufen did not drop any skills.

Now, confirmed by Qin Menglan, it is indeed true that his earlier guess about the "slaughter mechanism" was correct.

"Skills merely have a certain probability of dropping, and randomly. But fate—no, fate fragments—will drop 100%." Qin Menglan said.

Fate holders can only "hold" one fate.

More accurately, they hold fate fragments.

Fate is unique, and when it lands on a "person," only the "Saiyan Kakarot·Son Goku fate" will exist.

But there will not exist a "Saiyan fate."

However, I can hold "part of the Saiyan Kakarot·Son Goku fate," that is, fate fragments.

You can likewise hold them.

Several, even dozens of fate fragments fusing together.

Only then is it a complete fate.

In normal combat, cultivation, etc., it belongs to quantitative change.

Obtaining the same fate fragments, fusing them—for fate holders' advancement, it is qualitative change.

One can imagine what will happen between gods and demons walking who hold the same fate.

So-called "holding."

Of course, it's not holding in hand, able to be thrown away at any time.

After obtaining fate fragments, you can choose not to accept them.

But once you accept the inheritance and step onto the killing field, there can only be one final victor.

Only death brings an end.

Your death, or the death of another who shares the same inheritance.

Many newbies are tricked onto it this way.

And then they can't get off.

"Hmm."

Although he didn't need to, he still thanked Qin Menglan for the reminder—she's a good person.

I can turn on the lights for her a few times for free.

"By the way, I still have one question."

Suddenly, Tang Luo thought of an important question: "As for fates, are they all from fictional characters?"

"Yes." Qin Menglan said.

They are all familiar, or not so familiar, fictional characters.

"But fictional characters also come in many versions, especially famous ones, and some even have original prototypes—how should we calculate that?"

Tang Luo asked, "Take Tang Sanzang as an example..."

Tang Sanzang—how many relatively famous versions are there?

The historical monk.

The classic pilgrim monk image from the novel Journey to the West.

In Hong Kong comics, the muscular warrior monk with flesh-pounding punches.

In the Sakura Island manga, a blond, hot-tempered man holding a revolver and with a cigarette in his mouth.

Also, in the sequel to Journey to the West, the ruthless and taciturn Merit Buddha who excels in fighting.

With so many choices, will there be many different "Tang Monk destinies"?

The question is peculiar, the angle is tricky.

Faced with this question, Qin Menglan could only shake her head, indicating she didn't know.

She herself is not a destiny holder.

Regarding destiny information, she can know this much.

Or perhaps her identity played a role.

She is, after all, an important contact in the Near-Science Organization.

Ordinary true profundity experts would not understand destiny as deeply as Qin Menglan does.

If it weren't for misjudging Tang Luo as a destiny holder, Qin Menglan wouldn't have told him so much.

"Destiny, inheritance..."

Tang Luo chuckled, feeling it was quite interesting.

Having understood the relatively important question, Qin Menglan also had to leave first.

Roughly half a month later, there will be a "Near-Science Organization" gathering, and the time and address will be told to Tang Luo then.

Hope he can attend.

Additionally, Qin Menglan reminded Tang Luo that any information related to the god-demon game should preferably be communicated face to face.

Even if it's a phone call, it should be avoided as much as possible.

"Then I'll take my leave first; your... identity, I'll sort it out as soon as possible and mail it over."

Seeing Qin Menglan to the door, she said to Tang Luo.

"Okay."

Tang Luo nodded, took a deep breath.

Before Qin Menglan could speak, she heard Tang Luo shout loudly.

"You liar! You think I don't know? This kid isn't mine at all, nor my father's!"

After saying that, without waiting for Qin Menglan to react, he slammed the door shut with a bang.

I, Tang Luo, Xuanzang, Fighting Victory Buddha, must regain my dignity!

Qin Menglan suppressed her urge to wreck the place.

This guy's destiny is definitely that of a monk, no doubt.

He deserves to be a monk, let him remain single for life!