Chapter 103: From Now On, Your Name Shall Be Wang Wudi

Ding-a-ling

During his dinner, Galievich’s phone kept ringing incessantly. At his level of authority, any call at this hour was undoubtedly about significant national matters.

He slammed down his utensils, his expression visibly sour.

It wasn’t that he disregarded national affairs; however, recent times had been filled with numerous worries, and today was rare when he felt somewhat relaxed. Yet even during his mealtime, a moment he cherished for unwinding, he was disturbed again.

“Not even dogs should be disturbed while eating,” Galievich muttered under his breath, though promptly answered the phone. As soon as he heard the news, his appetite vanished completely.

“The Koro God has appeared on the Western Plains, demanding we construct a temple there.”

“And five mixed-blood Yar individuals have become believers of the Koro God, receiving tokens of faith?”

With each sentence from the other end of the call, Galievich’s brow twitched increasingly. Finally, he took a deep breath and responded, “I’m on my way immediately. For now, keep those five believers under control. Additionally, ensure this matter is contained; do not leak any information yet. Be cautious of interference from the Jindar Empire and Hanming Country.

Prepare accordingly by setting up a complete blockade around the area where Koro God appeared, prohibiting all entry or exit. However, start making arrangements for constructing the temple. Inform the believers that if Koro God truly belongs to Wanqi Country, we will organize the grandest possible sacrifice in His honor.”

Galievich was planning for multiple contingencies, regardless of whether it truly was the Koro God. As long as this deity proved as amicable as Li Kingdom’s Mountain God, He would become the genuine Koro God of Wanqi Country.

Like Prime Minister An Gaoyang of the Li Kingdom, Galievich possessed the same determination to conduct a nationwide grand sacrifice. However, if this Koro God turned unruly, they would make Him taste the power of modern, lethal weaponry.

Perhaps due to Wanqi Country’s geographical location, or even the lasting influence of tribal culture despite being invaders, most Wanqians tended to be impulsive and bold.

While Wanqi Country grappled with the sudden appearance of the Koro God, diverting attention from even the license holder incident, Duan Wenxuan had already returned to his residence in Hanming Country’s Maplewood Neighborhood.

Upon entering his room, Duan Wenxuan immediately felt a wave of joy, transmitted by the former Terror Slime, now known as Red River.

Since the terrifying slime transformed during the spiritual tide into its current form, it could no longer accompany Duan Wenxuan everywhere, causing evident disappointment for the entity. Previously, clad in a rubber duck raincoat, it always obediently perched near Duan Wenxuan, despite its inherent danger and constant bloody scent that made Duan Wenxuan somewhat uneasy around it. Nonetheless, he occasionally brought it along. Now, having become the ‘Mother River of Life,’ it has taken on a completely different trajectory, making mobility impractical.

Red River possesses consciousness, capable of experiencing emotions such as sadness and joy. Every time Duan Wenxuan returns, it exudes genuine happiness like a loyal servant reuniting with their long-absent master.

As the Red River exulted in its joy, humans living in Maplewood Neighborhood’s phases one and two also experienced an inexplicable sense of happiness today. This feeling was subtle, barely noticeable at first, making them simply think they were having a particularly good day.

Duan Wenxuan paid no heed to the ecstatic Red River slime but instead focused on the door symbol on his right hand’s back.

The creation of the Koro God consumed considerable energy, yet it provided Duan Wenxuan with a clear direction for his future path. Step by step, he aimed to fully master all the power contained within the door symbol, ultimately likely following in the footsteps of that ‘Puka’ civilization’s formidable being.

He would traverse various dimensions, witnessing the rise, decline, and demise of civilizations. Moreover, he aspired to go even further, exploring paths where his predecessor had not succeeded.

What happens after breaking the cosmic barrier? What lies beyond the universe?

Such were Duan Wenxuan’s ambitions.

Gathering his thoughts, he immersed himself in the door symbol. The previously opened small worlds remained preserved within it, allowing him to access them freely. Of course, now there were no more mandatory half-monthly stays in small worlds; he could choose when and where to open them, provided he supplied sufficient energy.

However, there was no longer any necessity for it.

Opening numerous small worlds had lost much of its significance for Duan Wenxuan. What he sought now was to comprehend the essence of existence and unlock the true secrets of advancement.

“Ah, this world has already been destroyed?”

While reviewing the previous small worlds, Duan Wenxuan discovered that the once-fragmented Divine World had met its demise. For a moment, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of melancholy.

His experience in that world felt like a vivid dream, yet the hundreds of years he spent there were undeniably real. Upon returning to reality, Duan Wenxuan noticed his mindset had become more tranquil and detached, largely due to the prolonged trials he endured within that realm.

The Divine World had existed for a considerable span, but just as all things have their flourishing youth, they also face the twilight of decay. After experiencing a period of divine prosperity, the small world could no longer sustain the ever-increasing number of deities. With these immortal beings lacking a natural end, imbalance set in, causing the world to fall ill.

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Later, the accidental collision between Duan Wenxuan and the middle schooler, involving the use of the gate, intensified this world’s affliction, leading to its rapid demise.

“It seems the last deity of this small world has also perished,” Duan Wenxuan lamented somewhat.

Examining the fading world through the power of the door symbol, Duan Wenxuan observed a hazy mass resembling smoke or mist. Within it, he sensed a pervasive aura of death, yet there was also a faint trace of lingering vitality.

The door symbol gently trembled.

From the vast amount of information transmitted by the door symbol, Duan Wenxuan swiftly found a pertinent piece—such rise and fall of worlds were entirely normal.

Despite its decline, this divine world had indeed left behind a glimmer of hope. Perhaps after thousands or even tens of thousands of years, it might once again coalesce into a planet, with life re-emerging someday.

With much time left in the day, Duan Wenxuan planned to completely set aside this world when suddenly, a faint blue glow emerged from within the gray mist. Like a firefly, it darted erratically amidst the fog, yet each attempt failed to escape. The weak glow flickered intermittently, suggesting a precarious situation.

“What is that?” Curious, Duan Wenxuan focused his thoughts, and the door symbol automatically activated, drawing the glowing speck towards him.

Currently, Duan Wenxuan himself lacked such ability. A perishing divine world becomes an immensely mysterious phenomenon in the universe; any nearby matter gets absorbed, destined to await rebirth alongside the dying planet. The door symbol merely condensed this ‘spectacle’ for Duan Wenxuan’s clearer observation.

Extracting anything from within required the unique power of the door symbol alone.

However, now, with surprising ease, the speck of light leaped out and flashed past Duan Wenxuan. When he looked down at the floor, there lay a gaunt old black dog, skin stretched over its bones.

The old black dog seemed somewhat disoriented and instinctively stood up, barking wildly. After a few moments, it yelled, “No… I’m human… not a dog!”

As soon as the dog spoke human words, Duan Wenxuan’s brow twitched, immediately recognizing who it was.

In that divine world, the only one likely capable of maintaining consciousness amidst its destruction was the middle schooler who had entered with him. Earlier, when Duan Wenxuan escaped, the young boy did not follow. He assumed the boy had perished, never expecting that he would unexpectedly be saved by this very presence. In just a few more days, even this fragment of consciousness would probably dissipate.

Despite everything, gazing at the old black dog, Duan Wenxuan harbored no regrets about rescuing him.

The old black dog had been his companion for a long time. Back then, without any memories, he hadn’t realized that the dog was likely possessed by the middle schooler. However, their shared companionship was genuine.

What he didn’t anticipate was how much worse the other’s luck truly was.

While possessing the deity, although trapped in Ban Family Village for approximately four centuries without a single step outside, it still fared better than the middle schooler being directly turned into a dog. Although neither enjoyed freedom, the boy’s situation was undeniably more tragic.

“Old Black,” Duan Wenxuan instinctively called out upon seeing the familiar face… or rather, familiar dog.

To his surprise, the old black dog suddenly stopped speaking human words and barked instead, darting to Duan Wenxuan’s feet and sniffing him with its nose.

In the next moment, however, the dog bristled and snarled angrily, “I’m not just a dog, I’m not! I’m a person… I’m a person… What’s my name? What’s my name…”

It seemed to fall into confusion, occasionally lunging as if to bite Duan Wenxuan, then abruptly pausing with a pleading and trusting gaze directed at him.

“Who am I… Woof woof… No… Who am I…”

“What’s happening?” Duan Wenxuan decided to take action, pulling out the black paper figurine to probe the old black dog’s memories—an area where the figurine excelled. As soon as it realized Duan Wenxuan needed its help, the paper figurine joyfully zoomed around, biubiu, eager to assist him; this was what it loved doing most.

After a short while, Duan Wenxuan learned the true situation behind the old black dog’s predicament. It turned out that with the world’s destruction, the middle schooler’s consciousness had nearly faded away entirely.

Ironically, the old black dog’s self-preservation as a dog seemed more intact. Its current confusion stemmed from the lingering defiance and obsession of the middle schooler.

Deep down, he couldn’t accept that in the final contest for the door symbols, it was him who emerged defeated. He had always been an extremely arrogant middle schooler; otherwise, he wouldn’t have agreed to settle things with Duan Wenxuan in a single decisive move.

“Wu Di, what an interesting name,” Duan Wenxuan remarked, finally learning the middle schooler’s name. However, regarding the memories of the middle schooler, only ‘Wu Di’ remained, while everything else had completely faded away.

As Duan Wenxuan uttered Wu Di’s name, the chaotic old black dog suddenly calmed down, staring blankly at him.

Duan Wenxuan squatted down and gently stroked the old black dog’s head. “From today on, your name will be Wang Wudi - Invincible Howl. How does that sound?” Since this was the last remaining obsession, why not fulfill it?

“Wang Wudi,” the old black dog repeated softly. Its previously twisted expression gradually softened, and eventually, exhausted, it curled up by Duan Wenxuan’s feet and fell asleep.