[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces":3,"chapter-the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-12":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Dragon of a Thousand Faces",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2269658,4431,"Chapter 12: I Don't Discriminate Against Transmigrants, I Just Hate Li Ensu","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-12",12,"\u003Cp>“Oh, traveler Li Ensu, you’ve come?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The greeting upon entering the dream instantly made Li En bristle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fragments of possibilities—fragmentation, execution, countless fates for discovered travelers—flashed through his mind, but then he suddenly understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is just a dream.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at the old knight waving at him from afar, Li En felt a pang of resentment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he had received the other’s memories, then perhaps it was plausible that the other had received his own?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe this guy was deliberately trying to scare him?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this really just a dream?” And then he began to doubt it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What he saw, heard, and touched was utterly real.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a barren wasteland without stars, lit only by moonlight beneath his feet; his soles felt solid, and when he clenched his fist, he clearly felt his own limbs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En could not distinguish reality from dream—he could even smell the aroma of roasted meat drifting through the wasteland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huh? Why is there roasted meat smell?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hungry?” The ancient spirit waved a skewer in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before him stood four barbecue grills, hundreds of skewers—vegetables, fruits, meats—all present. Li En even spotted many fruits from his homeland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.” Since he was here, he might as well enjoy it—Li En was hungry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Not giving you any. Roast your own.” Well, clearly a terrible personality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon first meeting, hearing his “true name” spoken aloud filled Li En with genuine fear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, this slightly eccentric “uncle” before him had eased his tension—had this been the imagined image of a stern, iron-faced spirit judge, Li En would have grown even more restrained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He studied the man carefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His towering frame was encased in full heavy armor; his seemingly perfect proportions were likely twice Li En’s height, and the arm wielding the skewer was thicker than Li En’s own thigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The armor was not ornate, even somewhat worn—on his left shoulder, the cross of judgment; on the right, the scales of justice—but both were faded and worn, riddled with scars and gashes across what appeared to be legendary metal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He must be a wolfkin—those two gray wolf ears were unmistakable. After removing the faceless judge’s mask symbolizing “impartial judgment,” he wore a half-face mask resembling a bat-chin hero—but he had none of the hero’s no-killing code.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a naked killing machine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he saw him, Li En recalled the memory fragments: how this armored tank had slashed through demons with one blow after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.I believe this is a dream.” Such a monster could not possibly exist in the real world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Yes, this is your dream, your world, so—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged man’s booming laugh echoed across the wasteland.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.So don’t worry about soul possession or anything like that.” The old man grinned smugly at the youth, his chin whiskers twitching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, Li En’s face turned ashen—he had been seen through again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Relax, it’s not mind reading.” The middle-aged man rubbed his bearded chin, even more smug. “Just experience, kid. What you’re thinking is transparent to me.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if remembering something, the old man suddenly laughed heartily. “You’d be better off worrying about those around you than me. Forget it—dead men shouldn’t interfere with the living.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then don’t just half-speak!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This, perhaps, was why Li En hated “old things”—always deliberately speaking in fragments, holding back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When you’re right, it’s your command; when you’re wrong, it’s all your fault. Ask too hard, and you get nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, don’t follow their rhythm—Li En’s experience told him: if the old man wanted to say something, he’d have said it already. Pressing him only invites more mockery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah, yeah, yeah.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En’s lack of cooperation only made the other laugh harder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Could avoiding questions also be part of the trap?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tch, old brat.” Li En launched a personal attack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Disappointed?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En paused, then shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even with only fragments of memory, he had seen Su Er’s dazzling life—judging him solely by these surface traits would make him superficial.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He, Su Er Dawng, was a true immortal hero.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, for Li En, simply tasting roasted lamb with cumin and chili from his memories was more than enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Brat, roast your own meat—don’t steal mine!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph, not bad. Did you train for this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though his identity as a traveler had been exposed, Li En found it normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After calming down, he didn’t believe he could hide from a spirit floating atop his soul.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was observing—observing how the other viewed him. He worried about regional prejudice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though subtle, a bit of hostility toward “aliens” was only natural, especially for a guardian knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Pffhaaa, Li Ensu, you really are amusing. Don’t worry—I don’t despise travelers. You’ll learn later—it’s nothing at all. This world has too many weird things; one more or less traveler makes no difference.” And of course, the other had seen through all of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But that statement carried far too much information.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En smiled along, his mindset relaxing—the noble knight in his memory wouldn’t lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He grew tense again—were there travelers everywhere? Were there even stranger things?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the boundless wasteland, the barbecue grills brought warmth. Li En calmly enjoyed his likely unsatisfying midnight snack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two chatted intermittently; perhaps due to soul resonance, they unexpectedly clicked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But no dinner lasts forever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Time’s up. Come on.” The feast was over—time to work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the greasy middle-aged man clapped his hands and stood, only a knight like a steel wall remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An impregnable wall. A sword of divine law, unbreakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He drew his ancient two-handed longsword—in Li En’s eyes, it was nothing less than a giant door panel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since he had been invited, there was no reason to refuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En took a deep breath, gripped the silver-white Sword of the Hero, and lifted it lightly to meet the challenge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He fixed his gaze, prepared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Need a countdown?” The other seemed remarkably relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, SIR!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His flying head spun through the air before he finally saw the silver flash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seven meters away—in the blink of an eye—the blade’s strike was over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His final memory: the hand sheathing the sword, and the unhidden, wicked grin of the stubbly chin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I—I—” Seconds later, “revived,” Li En regained his senses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Relax, you’re still alive. How was dying?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Same position. Same stance. They hadn’t even started fighting—but Li En felt the coldness on his neck. He had indeed been beheaded; his head had flown far away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at the wicked middle-aged man, who seemed utterly unconcerned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No—the sword rose again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Relax, you’ll get used to dying more than once.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En heard this while face-down, blood oozing from his lips, his lower body numb. It was confirmed: being cut in half died slower than beheading—he could see for several seconds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Click.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bronze gears roared—the dream reset, identical position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait! Let me prepare—” Even in training, at least give me a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Su Er didn’t strike immediately—he patiently waited for Li En to recover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En racked his brain, thinking how to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ready? Doesn’t matter anyway—I’m not in a hurry.” Su Er asked slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Li En was certain: this man might truly be called a hero—but his personality was absolutely terrible. The image of the stoic, solemn knight from memory fragments had shattered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The middle-aged version might have been a rigid, orthodox knight—but the old knight before him, nearing life’s end, was a wicked old brat!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ready. Go! Again with the ambush!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, he didn’t even see the blade—his heart was pierced.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aren’t you a spirit? A top-tier knight? Show some honor!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Opponents on the battlefield don’t care about honor. The nobler the knight, the more he must know the low tactics.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This old guy had zero honor whatsoever!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Click.” Time reset again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huff. Again.” Li En took a deep breath, activated Dragon Eye, and fixed his gaze entirely on Su Er.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, he’d catch the movement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clang.” Then he died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“See that?” Beneath the mask, the unhidden, cheerful smirk remained—nothing like a just knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.No.” Li En touched his head—it was still there. This time, he’d been crushed by the door-panel sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then do it again.” The spirit wasn’t in a hurry—his time seemed endless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.” The dream training must be this—accumulating battlefield experience through simulated deaths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he died. Again. And again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cut in half, beheaded, crushed, pierced—this was only the beginning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, the blade split one into two, two into four, blossomed in the center, and instantly sliced fish—every cutting technique, horizontal and vertical, displayed the chef’s overly refined skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Combat? Capture moves? What? How is this situation even related to combat?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Isn’t it always over in a flash of blade light? In most cases, Li En didn’t even see the blade light before he was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, this isn’t right. Practicing like this won’t help.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En finally noticed—the vast gap in base attributes and skills made this kind of practice essentially meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“At least, you’ve become accustomed to death. Then, you’ll get what you want.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, the silver-armored knight tossed over a bag of equipment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside were a black knight’s glove, a pair of silver-white riding boots, and a gleaming silver bracelet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Speed boots paired with mighty gloves—standard gear for weakling warriors and knights. The bracelet has a standard holy power spell, one use per day. Oh, here, it’s unlimited.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old knight finally seemed to remember his duty as a mentor, even teaching Li En how to use them: activate the holy power spell first, then put on the gloves, to avoid being instantly cursed into a twisted form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He also warned Li En to get some “Lesser Curse Removal” scrolls and holy relics after leaving—once these cursed items cling to you, they often can’t be removed directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En took a deep breath, followed his mentor’s instructions, slipped on the bracelet, donned the gloves, and pulled on the speed boots.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt power surging through his entire body—he could now fight any formidable foe, and he was about to experience the peak state he’d imagined.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Puff.” Amid a soft laugh, all three items turned to ash; all that remained in Li En’s hand was a handful of dust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along with the laughter came the man’s quiet whisper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This is a dream. These are my creations. You must make your own.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En fell silent. This old bastard was truly too much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But after a deep breath, he recalled the previous sensations—and one by one, the items reappeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Su Er was right: this was Li En’s dream. He could create anything he knew. And Su Er had already provided the sample.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After dozens of seconds, the gear reappeared in his hands. Li En silently dressed himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holy light shone upon him; the gloves granted might, the boots granted speed and explosive power, and the holy force brought a complete leap forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, he finally possessed the standard power of a holy knight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at the waiting spirit knight, now vaguely certain of a truth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You, still claim you don’t discriminate against transmigrants? You really hate me, don’t you?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t discriminate against transmigrants. But I really don’t like Li Ensu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Compatibility issue?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. I simply dislike Li Ensu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fine, this isn’t discrimination?! I don’t discriminate against orcs—but your orc buddy better never step into my house!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A knight openly discriminating by race, yet sworn to justice and fairness? Li En felt his nose twist with rage—he was almost laughing from anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for why I dislike you, you’ll find out soon enough. No—you’ll know very soon.” The knight still smiled, but his eyes had seen through everything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En raised his sword. This time, he would pour his fury into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clang!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flash of silver light—and everything reset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any difference? Maybe. Perhaps. Probably.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Decapitation, strangulation, cleaving—Li En kept enduring the agony of being one-shot again and again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wait, I need a break.” Finally, when death had numbed him, he called a stop himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He thought for a moment—not because he feared death, but because practicing like this—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Will this really help? In so many novels and stories, you can drastically improve through death combat.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if I keep dying like this, am I actually improving?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could it possibly help? Stop reading all that nonsense. Strength comes from steady, daily practice. What can you gain in one night?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it was a sound argument, at this moment, Li En was utterly stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then why did I die all night? Was it meaningful?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Of course. I had fun.” The old knight was utterly malicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You still claim you don’t discriminate against transmigrants!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No. I just dislike Li Ensu.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The same words, spoken by the grinning knight, completely drained Li En’s resolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, without the spirit’s power, he felt like an ordinary man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lay down. Gave up. Didn’t want to move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, then it’s about time to begin tonight’s spirit guidance.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wait, what do you mean?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What? You’re only starting now? All that was just for you to kill me for fun?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where’s your conscience? Where’s the conscience of the most just Grand Judge Knight?!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En’s mouth twitched with rage—he’d never met such a vile personality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, you have.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, the legendary knight—the rigidly righteous one—removed his “bat” mask.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The weathered face, though he’d never seen it before, felt familiar. Extremely familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But before he could recall where he’d seen it, the dream violently overturned—he plunged deeper into the dream.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In that dream, the scene and words were unmistakably familiar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was history. A past memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stood alone in a cramped bathroom, whispering to the mirror.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The old knight’s temples were streaked with gray, his face scarred, and his gray wolf ears half-missing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This once battle-hardened holy knight now seemed uneasy, even neurotic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The spinning vision steadied. Li En’s spirit merged with it—and only then did he hear the whisper from his own lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am Su Er Daong. And also… the transmigrant Li Ensu?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The face in the mirror was, of course, familiar—it was an elderly wolf-man version of Li Ensu himself!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hello, transmigrant Li Ensu. What a coincidence—I’m also the transmigrant Li Ensu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I am Li Ensu. And also the oath-breaking rebel knight, Su Er Daong.” The old knight in the mirror continued murmuring to himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2388,"2026-06-19T21:45:41.002Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","e783940a8c76880821c08b9d359848ae48d4b9638765c4c3b97606cad9c17323","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-13","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-11",362,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-cover.jpg"]