Chapter 224: The Qinghai Mystery Domain part 1

Cong Xia broke out in a cold sweat. According to this logic, all mutants and animals that exceeded normal parameters should die off completely—only this way could they lower the Cambrian consciousness’s assessment and restore peace to the world again. They had desperately collected the puppet jades, naively thinking that as long as they found a way to shield all the energy released by the puppet jades, they could stop humans and animals and plants from continuing to evolve, and thus the disaster would subside. But they had all been wrong.

Then what was the point of everything they were doing? Not everyone was so noble as to willingly sacrifice themselves for the sake of humanity’s ability to reproduce and survive, protecting ordinary people. At least, if they had known this from the beginning, many people would never have risked their lives again and again to seize the puppet jades, especially those powerful mutants. Why not find some place with clear mountains and beautiful waters to peacefully spend their remaining years? Whether they struggled or not, death was the same outcome. In such a cruel environment, how many people could maintain selfless character? Cong Xia asked himself—he couldn’t do it either. He and the people he cherished had faced life and death countless times, enduring countless fears and painful torment, all for the sake of ending the disaster and working together with their compatriots to rebuild their homeland, to live happy, well-fed lives—not to collectively commit suicide in the end to let others scrape by on this disaster-ridden planet! He could not accept this outcome!

And it wasn’t just him—the others’ faces looked no better.

Shan Ming stamped out his cigarette viciously. “Is this really the case? Then what the hell are we doing here? I had food and drink in Beijing, but I came here to risk my life—not to fucking sacrifice myself to save all humanity!”

Cong Xia smiled bitterly. “Although we do want to save all humanity and are always prepared to sacrifice ourselves, if from the beginning we were destined to have no chance of survival, then I really… I’d rather go home.” He didn’t have such noble sentiments. If the truth was this cruel, he just wanted to take everyone away from here and live happily for a few years, so that when death came, there wouldn’t be too many regrets. If others knew about this, most would probably be like him, instantly losing their fighting spirit. But was this really the only way out? He refused to accept it. Evolved humans with powerful mental and physical abilities were clearly the most adaptable to this new era—why should they become sacrificial lambs? It had been almost three years. They had struggled and resisted only because of the infinite hope in their hearts. Just when they were about to collect all the puppet jades, giving up now—who could be willing? He said, “There must be another way. There are so many mutants—forget about suicide, even if they stood there and let you kill them, who knows how many years it would take. Eliminating mutants isn’t that easy. I won’t accept this method, and neither will others.”

Jiang Ying sneered coldly. “Of course. You want me to sacrifice myself just so those useless ordinary people can live? Ridiculous. That’s why I need to find the five-colored stone. Master Zhang must know many secrets we don’t know. If I can use the five-colored stone for myself, I’ll definitely find a way to survive.” He clenched a deformed fist, his distorted face full of arrogance.

Cong Xia thought to himself that the knowledge in the ancient jade was obviously Taoist teachings, so that aged voice must be Master Zhang’s? Master Zhang not only knew the secrets of the Cambrian consciousness but could even use Cambrian energy to help humans evolve and create and modify tools. Master Zhang’s understanding of the Cambrian consciousness was far more profound than theirs. Jiang Ying was right—the five-colored stone, which was the ancient jade, was indeed meant to help humanity. Perhaps Master Zhang, for some reason, couldn’t prevent the disaster, so he passed down the ancient jade to help them fight against the Cambrian consciousness? But… why had the ancient jade’s appearance changed? And why would Buddhist Sanskrit appear in the ancient jade? Was the box they found in the underground palace of the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda used to store the ancient jade? Could something have happened to the ancient jade during these two thousand years, causing it to change from the five-colored stone into this plain, ordinary appearance? It seemed that although they had touched upon core secrets, there were still many things they didn’t fully understand.

Zhuang Yao also sneered. “If Master Zhang really had a solution, why would he leave behind the five-colored stone? He could have just passed the method directly to his descendants.”

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“Yypvla Hbydt xwpv byhl bye psxl ekqqknwzvklp. Ysalshla, vblal olal schkswpzu hlau qlo xwvydvp yv vbyv vkxl. Vlabyrp Yypvla Hbydt oyp swvdwxclale. Gzvbswtb bl jdlo xydu plnalvp, bl oyp rsolazlpp vs vwad vbl vkel. Tl yzps raleknvle vbyv vbl Uyxcakyd nsdpnkswpdlpp oswze elqkdkvlzu xyjl y nsxlcynj, ps bl xwpv byhl rwv vbl talyvlpv xupvlau kd vbl qkhl-nszsale pvsdl.”

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Hbwydt Zys pyke, “Mbyv oyp clnywpl vbl Uyxcakyd nsdpnkswpdlpp elvlnvle bwxyd kdvlzzktldnl. Gzvbswtb bwxyd elhlzsrxldv vos vbswpyde ulyap yts oyp nsxrzlvlzu kdnsxryayczl vs dso, obyv ycswv nsxryale vs svbla prlnklp sq vbyv vkxl? Psd’v qsatlv, vbl Uyxcakyd nsdpnkswpdlpp xsdkvsap vbl cyzydnl yxsdt Oyavb’p prlnklp kd vbl pyxl lay. Twxydp yv vbyv vkxl bye yzalyeu xypvlale vbl wpl yde nalyvksd sq vsszp, lpvyczkpble psnkyz pupvlxp, rsrwzyakgle oakvkdt yde yav, esxlpvknyvle zkhlpvsnj, yde vaydpqsaxle dyvwal. Usxryale vs svbla prlnklp sq vbl pyxl rlakse, bwxydp bye yzalyeu cltwd vs pbso pktdp sq clkdt y vbalyv.”

Usdt Dky dseele yde pyke plzq-xsnjkdtzu, “Jlkdt vss pxyav alyzzu kpd’v y tsse vbkdt. Usnjasynblp byhl zkhle qsa bwdealep sq xkzzksdp sq ulyap, yde ol byhld’v plld vbl Uyxcakyd nsdpnkswpdlpp lmvkdnv vblx.”

“Mbkp kp vbl raknl sq lhszwvksd.”

Vasqlppsa Fwd ypjle Kkydt Zkdt, “Ebyv svbla alzknp sq Yypvla Hbydt eke usw ekpnshla kd vbkp wdelataswde nkvu?”

“Jyple sd xu alplyanb yde prlnwzyvksd, vbkp kp yzz R nwaaldvzu jdso. Lso kv’p xu vwad vs ypj usw—vblal pbswzed’v cl ds nzwlp ycswv vbl qkhl-nszsale pvsdl swvpkel Ckdtbyk, aktbv?”

Vasqlppsa Fwd pyke kd y zso hsknl, “Jlqsal nsxkdt blal, ol bye dlhla blyae sq vbl qkhl-nszsale pvsdl. Ebyv nzwlp es usw oydv vs tlv qasx wp?” Jyple sd vbl yhykzyczl kdqsaxyvksd, bl nswze yzalyeu twlpp vbyv Usdt Dky’p yckzkvklp xwpv cl alzyvle vs vbl qkhl-nszsale pvsdl. Usdt Dky xktbv lhld cl vbl sodla, cwv bkp kdvwkvksd vsze bkx vbyv Kkydt Zkdt pbswzed’v tlv vbyv pvsdl.

“Among you is someone who doesn’t belong to any category in the human mutation system. He possesses abilities that no other mutant has. He can heal people and create a kind of energy protective gear.” Jiang Ying’s gaze fell on Cong Xia. “My judgment won’t be wrong. You must be connected to the five-colored stone. Otherwise, where did your abilities come from?”

Cong Xia’s expression changed slightly. “My abilities? No one knows where their abilities come from. How would I know?”

Jiang Ying laughed heartily. “You have so many brain-domain evolved humans around you—didn’t they ever tell you not to lie in front of brain-domain evolved humans?”

Cong Xia gritted his teeth, having no idea how to continue. Whatever he said, Jiang Ying could see through it.

Jiang Ying stared at him intensely. “From the moment you entered Qinghai, I began secretly observing you, collecting information about you. The entire Qinghai is full of my spies—don’t think you can hide anything from me. Your abilities are different from all other mutants. Other mutants can only have one type of five-element energy dominating their bodies, but you don’t have this limitation. Even that Russian woman, as a wood natural force evolved human, can only heal people of the same attribute or compatible attributes, but you can heal any person or animal. Most miraculous is the energy protective gear you create. When I learned of this thing’s existence, I specifically dissected the corpses of your dead companions in Golmud. Those jade pieces contain pure attribute energy and are inscribed using a special runic technique, combining Taoist teachings with Cambrian energy. From ancient times to now, only one person should have been able to do this—Zhang Daoling. Yet you have learned it. Is the five-colored stone in your hands?”

Jiang Ying hit the mark with every sentence, and Cong Xia’s face became extremely pale. Even if he didn’t admit it, Jiang Ying would see through him.

Just as Zhuang Yao was about to speak, Jiang Ying raised his hand to interrupt him. “Little friend, as a brain-domain evolved human, although you can lie to me, you can’t change my judgment. Boy, hand over the five-colored stone. You don’t think I’m idle with nothing to do, going to great lengths just to let you come down here and learn about the information I’ve painstakingly researched, do you?”

Cong Xia calmed down. “Yes, the five-colored stone is with me, but only I can use it.”

Jiang Ying narrowed his eyes. He could tell Cong Xia wasn’t lying about this, but still didn’t quite believe it. “Legend says Zhang Jiao once obtained the five-colored stone and learned some basics. How is it that when it comes to you, only you can use it?”

“Believe it or not, it’s up to you. If you want to use the five-colored stone, give us the puppet jade and leave with us. Return to Beijing, where there are countless brain-domain evolved humans all working hard for humanity’s future. You could completely go help them.”

Jiang Ying laughed heartily. “Foolish boy, don’t you understand yet? The Cambrian consciousness won’t let so many brain-domain evolved humans and natural force evolved humans live. You’ll all die in the end. The five-colored stone can’t save all humanity, but it can save me. It can make me incredibly powerful. Even if the Cambrian consciousness makes the environment even harsher, it won’t prevent me from surviving.”

Professor Sun said sternly, “Jiang Ying, you’re utterly shameless. For the puppet jade, to stop this disaster, how many people have sacrificed themselves in obscurity? If the five-colored stone can really save all humanity, how dare you keep it for yourself?”

“Why wouldn’t I dare? What have you gained from your bleeding and desperate fighting? You’re all going to die sooner or later anyway, hahaha.”

Cong Xia clenched his fists. “You can’t get the five-colored stone. I have some kind of connection with it. Not only can only I use it, it can’t even be separated from me. The five-colored stone is on me, but if you dare harm us, even if you get it, it’ll just be a broken rock.” Cong Xia knew he could no longer hide the truth, so he might as well say it outright. The four of them had no power to resist against Jiang Ying and this lynx. Right now, they could only try to save their lives first.

Jiang Ying narrowed his eyes. Since Cong Xia wasn’t lying, could what he said be true? Could the five-colored stone really only be used by this boy? He said dubiously, “Let me see the five-colored stone.”

Cong Xia unbuttoned his shirt, unwound the layers of bandages around his stomach, then took out a palm-sized piece of ancient jade. It looked plain and unremarkable—even before the apocalypse, anyone could tell it was cheap jade material.

Jiang Ying’s eyes widened as he stood up and walked toward Cong Xia.

Cong Xia stepped back, gripping the ancient jade tightly. Jiang Ying’s deformed appearance made him feel disgusted.

Jiang Ying walked up to him, grabbed the ancient jade, and held it up close to examine it carefully. His facial expression kept changing, seeming quite puzzled. “This is the five-colored stone?” Obviously, he felt nothing, and its appearance was very different from the five-colored stone in the paintings.

Cong Xia snorted. “You’re the one who said it was. How would I know if it is or not?”

“Your abilities come from this?”

“Yes.”

“How do you… use it?”

“I… after I picked it up, I mutated, but in a completely different way from everyone else. I could heal people. After mutating, I gained some unexpected abilities.” Cong Xia remembered that Zhuang Yao had taught them that if you wanted to lie in front of brain-domain evolved humans, it was better to say nothing than to tell direct lies. Instead, you should try to omit the information you wanted to hide, ensuring that every sentence you spoke was true, but without the key content. When Jiang Ying had questioned him earlier, there were many black-and-white questions where he could only choose yes or no. Now he finally caught a question where he could show off his intelligence a bit.

“How did you obtain it?”

“How would I know how I obtained it? It just gave me those abilities.”

“What about that protective gear? How did you make it?”

“It taught me.”