IWYTBW - Chapter 20

Chapter 20

No One is Static.

“They arrived so quickly.” Yi Zhen muttered as he opened his eyes, severing the connection to the virtual Starnet plane. “I...damn it!”

Nothing in the training room had changed from when he left, except for one thing—the glass dome on the table was empty.

Where did that cursed scorpion go?!

The antidote for the Bone-Eroding Scorpion’s venom was notoriously complicated, and if it had really escaped, that would be a disaster a hundred times worse than a species invasion. As of now, this world had no known nemesis to counter its poison. With the enemy unknown and the antidote still eluding them, it could morph into a true killing machine, leaving any ordinary person who crossed its path with no escape.

Yi Zhen narrowed his eyes, maintaining his sitting position as he scrutinized the enclosure’s open glass casing. The restraining tools issued by the system bore special internal coatings and couldn’t be forced open from the inside, so… how on earth did it manage to escape?

His internal energy coursed through him, and for the first time, Yi Zhen activated the stealth feature of the 《 Jade Alchemy of the Eastern Sea 》 Transformation Technique.

His skin felt as though it had been coated in a layer of wax, his body temperature plummeting and his breath stilled, while the continuous flow of his internal energy supplied the oxygen his body needed.

If the room were scanned now with a thermometer or infrared detector, people would find that a living person had seemingly vanished within.

He blended in like a piece of furniture… or rather, an inconspicuous decoration, slowly advancing towards the open glass enclosure.

Yi Zhen picked up the lid, running his fingers along the rim and feeling an irregular bump, like the traces left by dried glue.

Saliva.

The Bone-Eroding Scorpion exudes a sticky saliva to build its nest.

He had lifted the lid and reached inside, only for the scorpion’s tail to flick lightly past his hand...Yi Zhen had thought the scorpion’s primary aim was to deal with him, but that wasn’t so—its main purpose had been to flick its colorless, transparent saliva onto the lid edges, creating a gap that prevented it from sealing shut completely.

…Clever little thing.

A faint, clicking sound emanated from the ceiling lights above. Yi Zhen subtly shifted his body without changing expression, tracing the sound as it spread until stopping above the glass dome.

A gust of bloody wind rushed forth!

Yi Zhen struck like lightning, grabbing the scorpion’s formidable tail spike. His right fingers slid past his left wrist, colliding with the scorpion’s powerful pincers, producing a harsh metallic clang.

Neither side yielded, but Yi Zhen could sense the toxic creature was unnerved. It hadn’t anticipated that a human could control it bare-handed.

As if melting away like ice and snow, Yi Zhen disengaged from the stealth mode of the 《 Jade Alchemy of the Eastern Sea 》Transformation Technique. He exhaled a breath of long-held air and gripped the Bone-Eroding Scorpion, locking gazes as he lifted it to eye level.

“I don’t want to kill you,” he said. “I know you can understand me. You’re far more intelligent than I expected. All I need is for you to obey my commands and refrain from unnecessary killing.”

He shifted the fingers caught in its pincers, channeling strength to push the scorpion away. It executed a nimble somersault and landed on the floor, darting towards him like a shadowy thunderclap, relentless in its pursuit.

At the moment it was poised to leap, it suddenly froze, its tail flicking side-to-side as its beady eyes fixated on Yi Zhen’s hand.

“Flower-winged crickets,” Yi Zhen said slowly, shaking the bag in his hand, eliciting a chorus of rustling chirps. “Big, thin-skinned, tender fleshed crickets… still alive. They say you really like this stuff… ; is that true?”

He looked down at the scorpion, which appeared somewhat dazed, and smiled. “You want it? Since you just tried to escape, you’ll have to reflect on your actions first. Hop in there, and tomorrow I’ll decide whether you get a treat or not.”

The toxic scorpion anxiously paced in circles, its appetite overpowering innate caution. It realized it couldn’t contend with the human before it, nor could it snatch the delicious live bugs from his hand.

It stood still for a moment, deliberated, and then sulkily crawled back onto the table, jumping into the glass casing where it then curled up in a corner.

I’m not happy, because I’m an unhappy toxic scorpion. - is the aura it gave off.

Finally got that little rascal under control!

Yi Zhen let out a sigh of relief as he replaced the lid. After a moment’s thought, he asked the servant outside for a piece of fresh meat and placed it inside the glass casing.

Now this is just great. I’m still living off the Rong family, only to find I’ve picked up a deadly little oil bottle along the way. Eighty-eight crickets, a reward from the system, sound like a lot, but feeding them to the little rascal regularly only amounts to a few meals… What am I going to do now? I need to make money fast.

Ah, am I destined to forever be a “male mommy” after all? …

[Why not “father”?] Tai’a asked. [You act as both sister-in-law and mother—don’t you think that some important parts of your body are showing signs of deterioration?]

Yi Zhen blinked quietly. “...Well, yeah, why is that? You’ve got me there—I hadn’t even considered it, for some reason…”

In the corner, the sound of meat being gnawed and swallowed echoed, and Yi Zhen finally managed to steer the conversation back to the critical topic.

“So, there were two players mingling in the crowd who saw me.”

“Can you identify them?”

[I can’t.] Tai’a replied, [I can only sense signs of players and their respective systems communicating within a 150-meter radius.]

“Could it be She Xing and Li Youdeng?” Yi Zhen speculated, “No, I still need to investigate further…”

He began to pace: “They likely won’t discover my identity for the time being, since my behavior is completely different from what the original novel’s ‘Yi Zhen’ would exhibit. Plus, they might not have even heard my introduction… Tai’a, did they detect you?”

[No,] Tai’a responded. [But during that time, I had ceased all activities. The only silver lining is that they’re not high-tier players, let alone part of the Judgement Twelve.]

The Judgement Twelve, a term mentioned for the second time, compelled Yi Zhen to delve deeper: “What are the Judgement Twelve?”

[They symbolize the pinnacle of everything,] Tai’a explained. [The most powerful beings among all players. Their identities have not been fully revealed to the public, with only a few notorious Judges being known to the world, one being the Demon God’s follower I mentioned before.]

[Their guiding system is also unique and cannot be sensed by any systems beneath them. I’m able to detect other players because I am your—the world’s protagonist’s—guiding system. However, if a Judge were standing here, I wouldn’t be able to determine their identity either.]

Yi Zhen pondered for a moment. “So I must prepare for the worst… That is, this crummy yellow book could possibly unleash the strongest transmigrator, like that ambitious, enslaving Demon God’s follower who holds dominion over fifty-four major worlds.”

[Yes, I find that quite reasonable.] Tai’a affirmed. [If a Judge truly descends into your world, I advise you to set aside all contradictions and prejudices, and cooperate with Rong Hongxue. You must make this decision because, so far, there is only one known world that can escape a Judge’s grasp.]

Yi Zhen mumbled, “...one.”

[Yes, one, the only one.] Tai’a said. [We can’t obtain any intelligence or data about that surviving world. This is seen as the utmost humiliation of the Judgement Twelve, and they have tightly sealed that history. Anyone who mentions it will receive no answers, as if speaking to a grave.]

Yi Zhen wiped his face, unable to sleep well that night. As he tossed and turned in bed, one thought spun relentlessly in his mind.

He sat up and dialed Rong Hongxue’s number.

This time, he chose not to video call. He waited as the first ring passed, then the second… Yi Zhen pressed his lips together, hovering his finger over the disconnect button.

On the third ring, he shook his head, muttering to himself, “Forget it.”

The moment he hit the button, the fourth ring had just begun when Rong Hongxue softly asked, “Is something wrong?”

Yi Zhen’s finger froze; Rong Hongxue continued, “You were thinking about whether to hang up, weren’t you?”

“No,” Yi Zhen reclaimed his finger nonchalantly. “I have a question… I want to ask you.”

“Go ahead,” Rong Hongxue’s tone was as leisurely as ever, as if nothing in the world could disturb his calm.

Yi Zhen weighed his words before speaking: “For you… is there ever a moment when you suddenly feel… that the world has grown very complicated?”

Rong Hongxue paused for a moment, then chuckled in disbelief. “What?”

Yi Zhen lowered his voice, “We rarely talk so calmly, right? So I’m not joking with you; I wouldn’t disturb you late at night if there weren’t a need. Think carefully—has there ever been such a time?”

“Like when some weapon mechas suddenly evolve, gaining numerous new functions? Or when many unknown races and professions emerge unexpectedly? Or maybe… and how some people’s personalities or emotions become gradually more complex?”

The Pilots, Engineers, Healers, Alchemists, and the rise of intelligent life forms, the prosperity of the star network, including Anji the Helinarian native, and now She Xing from the Desna people… Everything Yi Zhen currently saw, heard, and sensed extended far beyond what a crude yellow book could account for.

It was as if the world had evolved… So, aside from him and Rong Hongxue as the protagonists, who else could guide the entire world’s evolution?

Yi Zhen hesitated to imagine that worst outcome.

He truly didn’t know how to articulate it: “This change is hard to describe in words, but I know you must be feeling it too—it’s just…”

“You,” Rong Hongxue interrupted suddenly.

“What?” Yi Zhen replied, caught off guard.

“The greatest change beside me comes from you,” Rong Hongxue remarked.

“...What about besides me?” Yi Zhen asked, still perplexed.

“Nothing.” The silence deepened, and Rong Hongxue’s voice softened, becoming eerie like a flower blooming at night. “You’ve captured too much of my attention; suddenly asking me like this, I can’t think of anything else.”

Yi Zhen frowned, puzzled. “...Is that it? This is what you wanted to tell me? You don’t have anything else to say?”

For some reason, Rong Hongxue fell mute for a moment.

“Nothing else,” he replied firmly. “I haven’t forgotten about that whole ‘suddenly bursting with energy’ and antidote debacle. Your temperament has changed drastically, and there needs to be a reasonable explanation. When I return to Central Star, I expect you to be ready to deal with my...interrogation..”

Rong Hongxue’s tone softened again, though of course, it was that eerie kind of gentleness.

“—Alright, Xiao Zhen?”

Yi Zhen: “…”

Yi Zhen: “You’re so hot and cold; what’s wrong with you? Go and eat shit!”

This time, he took the initiative, hastily cutting off the call.

Yi Zhen fumed, flipping onto his side in bed, the nervous anticipation sparked by his speculations now far gone from his thoughts.

Damn it, that little bastard, it’s driving me nuts!

The next morning, Yi Zhen activated the 《 Jade Alchemy of the Eastern Sea 》Transformation Technique, dodged the house’s servants, and then shook off the watchers keeping an eye on him as he made his way to the agreed-upon location to meet She Xing.

She Xing’s location was a mechanical workshop known as the Central Star Assembly Shop, a gathering place for Engineers. There were hundreds of such workshops on the planet, identified merely by their numbers.

As he walked along, the sounds of machinery clattering, cutting, and AI’s chilling whirs filled the air, punctuated by intermittent blasts from weapons being tested. The aroma of mixed oil and metal enveloped him as Yi Zhen followed She Xing through a maze of paths into his workshop.

On the table, twenty energy springs lay neatly arranged in a dustless box, with all necessary tools ready at hand. Yi Zhen was thrilled and kept thanking She Xing profusely.

“No need to thank me,” She Xing sighed deeply. “The fact that you’re willing to save me means you consider me a friend; perhaps this is what they call… a gentleman’s friendship, as strong as the water of the white snake grass in Laoshan¹Not a real saying, but a mishmash of different elements that seem like they'd work individually., haha.”

Yi Zhen felt equally touched, “There is no such stupid saying in this world, you should wake up.”

He gazed at the springs and tools before him, silently keeping a tally. Although She Xing was a three-thousand-six-hundred-year-old wealthy minor, he couldn’t take advantage of him without due recompense.

The worry stirred by Tai’a’s revelations from the previous night hadn’t dissipated, but once he calmed down, Yi Zhen realized that regardless of how perilous the road ahead might be, the most essential thing was to focus on every step in the present.

She Xing continued, “However, while this place is called the Engineer’s factory, those bellows, furnaces, anvils, and the like are quite hard to find…”

“Fortunately, many Engineers still maintain the habit of handcrafting,” he drew back a curtain, “One of the teachers is willing to rent out his workshop to you, with the condition that… he wants to see your work.”

Yi Zhen took a deep breath, “As long as he keeps it confidential, I can show him a thing or two.”

She Xing grinned, “You’re also preparing for the Hero Championship, right? So good luck!”

Yi Zhen smiled back and activated the workshop’s disturbance-free mode, picking up a spring and spreading out the blueprint.

The initial mechanics were rooted in ancient legends from ten thousand years ago. In that dim, arcane era, where the boundary between gods and humans blurred, tribal rulers vied for the throne. Chi You called the fog, while the Yellow Emperor created a guide cart operated by wooden figures, whose hands always pointed south, regardless of direction.

This was the earliest hypothesis and dream; ancient people attributed creations beyond the reach of their technology to mythical figures, hoping the divine light of the extraordinary would cross through the ages to illuminate future paths.

In the subsequent Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States, Lu Ban carved bamboo and wood into a magpie that could soar in the sky for three days without falling; Mozi took three years to craft a wooden kite, also managing to fly for three days; the artisans mentioned in the “Liezi: Tangwen” were adept at making quick-witted puppets to please the emperors, perfectly embodying the sentiment that “humans can equal creation.”

With protective goggles on, Yi Zhen ignited the furnace. The bellows beneath roared to life, setting the flames ablaze. Despite the 《 Jade Alchemy of the Eastern Sea 》 Transformation Technique shielding him, he still broke out in a sweat from the sweltering heat.

He tossed a partially-formed iron ingot into the flames and controlled the speed of the bellows, awaiting the moment the dark ingot transfigured into a translucent, golden-red hue.

After an extensive period of preparation, the first of his concealed weapons was finally making its arrival.

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e/n ty to the two ppl who asked if this was dropped, at least I know some people are reading xD.
Anyone who wishes to do their own translation is free to do so, I will keep doing this one as long as I am able though ;a;