Chapter 02: Enter Strange World
Chapter 02: Enter Strange World
Gu Hai opened his eyes, and his brain felt wave after wave of dizziness; it somewhat felt like heavy-headedness. He felt as if his head filled with lead. After some time, Gu Hai slowly recovered and became slightly clear-headed.
But Gu Hai didn’t wait to be completely recovered, but first looked at the general surrounding environment, and Gu Hai suddenly had a sliver of a surprised expression!
The forest here was overly grown, and everywhere he looked there were trees. Gu Hai was half leaning under a tall tree, and suddenly was a bit puzzled. Wasn’t he looking at the endgames in the cellar below the library? How did he appear in this jungle inside, because not to mention Han Hai Villa, even in the entire Capital City there absolutely wasn’t such tall trees!
“Is it someone that kidnapped me, as it must be known that although I have been acting low-key, but it is absolutely not a secret and there is always someone to know his ins and outs.” But then Gu Hai once again slightly shook his head, and from his own present condition he was most likely not kidnapped, but it was rather as if someone had played a big joke on him!
Gu Hai wanted to try to stand up, but in the next moment his body slightly swayed, and like a mudball, softly landed on the tree trunk. His body was as if it had been hollowed out, and he simply could not use a sliver of strength.
Gu Hai’s brows wrinkled. This was not a good thing. Gu Hai closed both of his eyes, as he wanted to carefully sort out what happened, and understand exactly what happened. Why was he not in the cellar below the library, but in this jungle inside?
Just as Gu Hai shut both of his eyes, he didn’t recall what had happened, but Gu Hai ‘saw’ in his mind a very strange scene appearing.
There was one huge s.p.a.ce, and in the lower region of the s.p.a.ce, there were 100000 Weiqi Boards. Above each Weiqi board were endgames placed one by one, and these 100000 endgames also seemed to continue to be operating on their own, pieces constantly changing. While a bizarre black piece was suspended over the 100000 endgames, like a king overlooking 100000 incomplete Weiqi boards!
[ED Note: Remember Endgame is the state of the game where there are only a few pieces left so don’t imagine it being one board above another like me but 100,000 boards with different chess scenarios each being played out.]
“Ah! You’re awake?” One slightly tender sound rang in Gu Hai’s ear. This sound interrupted Gu Hai’s thoughts, and Gu Hai consciousness begin to back out from his mind, then carefully listened, wanting to clearly understand where this voice came from. One youth carrying a backpack suddenly came out from inside the jungle.
That youth was about 14-15 years old, and was wearing a very simple coa.r.s.e linen robe with a lot of patches while his face was still somewhat immature.
Gu Hai looked at the innocent youth’s clothes and his own surroundings environment, and once again thought of the scene in his own mind. How could he have possibly thought that he had come to an another world. Moreover it should be due to that black piece that he came to this world!
But Gu Hai in his heart was only surprised for a moment, then returned to normal right away. Although in his heart he was confused, now was simply not the time to think about this issue!
Whether it be playing chess or doing business, fretting was the most unwanted factor. Gu Hai had long been accustomed to maintaining a peace of mind in facing all difficulties, so that he could solve the problem better.
“Yes, were you attacked? Otherwise how could a man collapse in the Heisha Mountains? Fortunately you ran into me first and If I had not gotten you to this fairly safe place, you absolutely would not have woken up this safely now!” The youth curiously asked, “If not you would have encountered bandits, and they would have robbed all of your valuables on you. Even worse, if the wild animals in the mountains had seen you, then you absolutely would not have been alive!”
With rapt attention Gu Hai looked at the youth, and both of the youth’s eyes were extremely pure. He obviously was a simple child. Gu Hai then suddenly put down the vigilance in his heart, and asked back rhetorically, “What about you? How can one person alone came to these Heisha Mountains, or is it that you are fearless of the wild animals in the mountains?”
Gu Hai didn’t mention to the youth how he would repay this kindness, but this grace he had noted down in his mind for forever, and was waiting for an appropriate time. Gu Hai would naturally repay this kindness!
“Hee hee, I’ve come here for the herbs. Right, after I saw you, I thought you must be hungry, so I went out to pick some berries, just for you to eat!” The youth laughed with a ‘hei hei’, then took out the backpack from his back. Just as he had said, inside it there really were many medicinal gra.s.s and berries. The youth put down his backpack, took out some fist sized berries and handed them to Gu Hai, then continued speaking, “As for the wild animals, I don’t fear them! I know the domain of every fierce wild animal in the outer ring of the Heisha Mountains, and as long as I bypa.s.s the domains of the wild animals, they simply cannot find me.”
“Oh, looking at you, you’re only 14-15 years old. How can a man come for these herbs, don’t you have a family to worry about?” Gu Hai took the berries, while at the same time continued asking. Now that he had arrived in this world, Gu Hai must collect all the information, but some things he could not clearly ask.
The youth suddenly became somewhat low-spirited, and some sadness was visible on his face. After a long moment of silence the youth continued speaking, “My father was also a herbalist, but he died early, leaving two people, my mother at home with me. Mother is constantly ill and has a weak body, and now also lies on the bed, I also can not do heavy work, and can only come to the mountains to pick some herbs. I can also sell it to the herbal shops to earn a little for my mother’s treatments. Moreover my mother’s treatment also needs a precious herb which I cannot afford. So I can only come to mountain and try my luck.”
But the youth was only sad for a moment, then right away became cheerful, and happily said, “But today I had a pretty good day, and picked up a fairly good number of herbs. I can exchange many of them for some money, which just so happens that I can now buy a tonic and give it to my mother to nourish her body!”
This was one optimistic and very obedient child, and Gu Hai believed that this youth could be trusted.
Gu Hai shifted the subject and chatted about other things!
……
The youth was still a little inexperienced regarding human affairs, and was simply like a white sheet. Gu hai simply did not need to resort to clever tricks, and just casually asked and got everything he wanted to know from the youth’s mouth!
The youth called Tang Chu, had just turned 15 this year, and lives in a small town at the edge of the Great Chen Empire. This small town relied on the Heisha Mountains for their development, but after all, it was too remotely located, so the population was very small.
The Great Chen Empire was one of the eight empires, but excluding the Chen Empire, Tang Chu didn’t know the name of the other seven empires, not to mention the other things!
In the Chen Empire, excluding the King of Chen, Chen Wuji, the Crown Prince Chen Taichi, and the Chen Empire’s number one beauty, Chen Xianer, other than these three person names, Tang Chu also knew nothing else. After all, Tang Chu’s town was too remotely located, and these names Tang Chu had only heard from he previous visitors that came!
But what made Gu Hai really surprised was the presence of Xiuxianists in this world, and was not those purely imaginary legends like in the previous world. Moreover in this world there were many Xiuxian sects, but these Xiuxian sects drifted in this world, and for a mortal it was simply too difficult to even touch.
The eight empires belonged to mortal countries, and mortal could also cultivate, but only had Houtian Stage Xiuxianists. Only Xiuxian sects would have Xiuxianists with higher cultivations, and according to legends the higher the cultivation of the xiuxiantist, the longer their lifespan. Besides they also had some peerless mysterious and powerful spiritual powers. They could call the wind, arouse the rains, move the mountains, fill the seas, and they could do things which humanity couldn’t do!
In storybooks it was mentioned that there were some lucky ones who were selected by powerful Xiuxianists and inherited their mantle, and this was not at all empty words. Such things did exists, though it was not common, but it still existed.
Knowing this, inside that tranquil heart of Gu Hai’s there were unavoidably some mighty waves, “Cultivate and become immortal, and live forever. What is this kind of temptation!” Gu Hai had some yearning in his heart.
But Gu Hai knew Xiuxian things could only be mentioned at later date, and the most crucial thing was to get out of these Heisha Mountains. After all there were wild animals and bandits here, and it was not safe!
After talking for so long, and also after eating some berries. Gu Hai’s strength was also restored, unlike before where he was soft and weak. So Gu Hai, who was leaning on the trunk, slowly stood up, and also while talking to Tang Chu, revealed his intentions to leave the mountains!
Tang Chu looked at Gu Hai, said with a smile, “Uncle Gu, it is quite late now when we will leave the mountain, and where I live there is an extra bed. Though it is a little broken, sleeping is not a problem.”
Gu Hai had already said to that innocent youth to call him by his own name, but Tang Chu insisted to call Gu Hai as Uncle Gu, so Gu Hai also complied with him!
Gu Hai looking at Tang Chu with an eager expression, slightly nodded, “Good, I hope your mother does not think I’m disturbing you!”
“How could she? A guest came to our house so mother will absolutely be happy!” Tang Chu had an excited look on his face, and happily walked towards the outside of the mountain, “Uncle Gu, follow me slowly, and careful on the mountain roads!”
Gu Hai slightly smiled, and slowly followed Tang Chu walking down the hill!