Chapter 866: Cooperation

Chapter 866: Cooperation

Zhao Shuangdian tapped her finger, painted with clear nail polish, against the blue bottle in front of Li Huowang. “And this—this is the true world. All other worlds are merely its reflection.”

Inside the closed blood festival tattoo parlor, Zhao Shuangdian continued to explain everything to Li Huowang.

“We can glimpse some information and changes through one of these reflections, but it's hard for us to grasp the full truth.”

“What we perceive as real is always distorted by our own cognition. The true reality remains forever beyond our understanding.”

“So your theory isn’t any different from Qingwang’s projection theory?” Li Huowang asked, looking at the deep-blue bottle before him.

Li Huowang recalled that strange world, recalled Bai Yujing, and also remembered the worldviews of others.

Li Huowang’s words made Zhao Shuangdian shake her head. “No, it’s not the same. His view is that everything is a projection of some existence.”

“But I believe all of this is genuinely real—but only one side of the truth, just like the blind men and the elephant. Can you say that the elephant’s leg isn’t part of the elephant?”

Hearing this, anger flared within Li Huowang. “Stop with the metaphors! I don’t want to hear about elephant legs or elephants anymore! I just want to know what the real thing actually is! Yin!”

“Oh? Then how much do you know about Hilbert space? I can try to explain.”

“What space? Didn’t you say you used math?”

“Never mind. Let’s go back to the elephant metaphor—it’s more accessible.”

Li Huowang sat there in silence, digesting her explanation. He didn’t know whether Zhao Shuangdian was telling the truth or just another delusion of madness.

Though she looked perfectly rational, the example of Qingwang’s arrival made him hesitant to judge too quickly.

After thinking for a while, Li Huowang stood up. “Thank you for explaining so much, but I still can’t fully believe your worldview.”

“If you don’t believe me, then do you believe what Qingwang brought? Or perhaps you believe nothing at all, thinking this is all an illusion? Do you think yourself a madman?”

“That’s right! I’m a madman, so what? Am I that rare? Why do they have to recruit a madman like me? You’ve been spouting nonsense all this time, and it’s just because you want to use me as a tool!”

Without any personal crisis at hand, Li Huowang really didn’t want to get entangled with them anymore. His current troubles were real enough. No matter what this reality was, he just wanted to strive to live well in it.

Not aiming for greatness, at least he wanted to become a normal person, so those who cared about him could feel a little better.

“This isn’t using you—it’s mutual support in the cold. Do you think everything that happened before was all there is?”

Hearing this, Li Huowang’s heart skipped a beat. All the events that had occurred came flooding back like a mountainous tide—the people watching him, those who tried to kidnap him, and those who tried to kill him.

“Of course, you’re still eighteen, too naive,” Li Huowang said, halting his movement and turning around. “What do you mean by that?”

“It means things aren’t over yet. We’ve only pushed them back once. Do you really think you can enjoy life peacefully after just a single retreat?”

Zhao Shuangdian’s words sent chills down Li Huowang’s spine. He quickly walked toward her, his pupils trembling as he stared at her. “They’ll come again? They want to invade Bai Yujing again? Why?!”

“I don’t know what they want. That wasn’t calculated. But I think the real world should contain more than just one elephant.”

“If they truly act now, it won’t be a simple test anymore. It will be far more intense, triggering violent upheavals across every part of the elephant—its trunk, legs, tusks—and even our current perspective.”

“But fortunately, we have a way to help our elephant, because we are all the ones feeling parts of it.”

“And you’re special. Others can only touch one side, but you have a perception organ others don’t. You can feel two sides, so you’re closer to the truth than anyone else.”

Zhao Shuangdian reached out gently and stroked Li Huowang’s face, finally pressing lightly on his blood-red eye socket. “You’re truly special.”

“Slap!” Li Huowang slapped her hand away. “When will they strike again?”

“They? Strike? When they’ll strike, I don’t know. What I do know is that our counterattack is scheduled for the second of next month.”

“A counterattack?”

“Yes, exactly. The best defense is offense. We can’t wait for them to move first. This time, we must seize the initiative. That’s why I called you here,” Zhao Shuangdian extended her hand toward Li Huowang.

“I sincerely invite you to join us, to use your talent to help us.”

Li Huowang looked at the hand reaching toward him. “Why should I believe what you’re saying? What if you’re the second Qingwang?”

“Because I have what you want. You’re uncomfortable with severing ties with your girlfriend, aren’t you? Besides, you two have been inseparable since elementary school. To break up now is such a pity.”

“If you agree, once this is over, I can let you return to a peaceful and monotonous life with your girlfriend, completely separated from everything you don’t want to deal with.”

“You can both retake exams together and live a quiet life.”

“Of course, if you want to be rich, I can make that happen too. Both choices require the same amount of work from me.”

Faced with her temptation, Li Huowang remained cautious. He had been deceived too many times already. “Wait, I think there’s a trap in what you said. You said we’d cut ourselves off from everything, but are you planning to take control of the Heavenly Dao that I and Yang Na manage after this?”

“Sorry, I really don’t understand,” Zhao Shuangdian frowned and shook her head.

“It doesn’t matter if you don’t understand. But I want to say—I won’t give up my Heavenly Dao! If I weren’t a Fate Keeper, I would just be an ordinary man, and in front of you Fate Keepers, I’d be nothing more than a pig or sheep to be slaughtered. Do whatever you wish.”

“I hold no expectations for your concept of good and evil.”

“But,” Li Huowang reached out and took her hand. “I’m willing to cooperate with you. As for compensation, we can discuss it later—we can negotiate while working together.”

His situation had already reached this point. There was nothing left to fear. The worst outcome was death, and he wasn’t afraid of dying.

On the contrary, if he could find a way out of his current predicament, it would be a huge gain.

Since he was at rock bottom, no matter which direction he went, it would be upward. So he shouldn’t hesitate anymore.

Zhao Shuangdian was satisfied with Li Huowang’s response. She shook her head gently. “Very well. Pleasant cooperation. From today, we are partners.”

Looking at the intellectual beauty before him, Li Huowang thought of the final question. “Zhao Shuangdian, what kind of Fate Keeper are you, exactly?”