Chapter 114: 114, Great Sage, Equal of Heaven (Eighth update)

When Jiang Wu went to light his own bonfire, the students all gathered around to warm themselves, their bodies already chilled through, their fingers and toes devoid of any warmth!

Suddenly, two middle-aged men rose and walked toward Ren Xiaoshi and the others, but before they could reach them, Xiao Yu Jie coldly said, "No."

The two middle-aged men returned in embarrassment, thinking the gap between men and women was too vast!

"Xiao Yu Jie is quite bold," Yan Liu Yuan laughed, mimicking her tone with a cold voice: "No!"

"What do you know," Xiao Yu Jie smiled and glanced at him: "This teacher named Jiang Wu is decent, a good person. Those two men only dared to speak up after a woman set an example for them, truly hopeless. Besides, Jiang Wu drilled wood for fire for half a day, and only came to borrow ours when he had no choice. What about the others? Not a single effort, just picking up what's already there!"

Xiao Yu Jie deliberately raised her voice as she spoke, causing the group of old men nearby to blush, and after finishing, she smiled at Ren Xiaoshi: "I can only speak loudly in front of you. What do you think of that girl?"

Ren Xiaoshi was bewildered: "What the hell?"

"Don't pretend to be confused," Xiao Yu Jie laughed: "Though she seems older than you, a woman of eighteen carries a golden brick, and as long as she's kind, it's fine."

"Enough, Xiao Yu Jie," Ren Xiaoshi said helplessly: "Let's eat."

At that moment, Jiang Wu sat with the students around the bonfire, comforting them: "Rest well tonight. I have a hairpin here; each of you prick the blisters on your feet before sleeping."

The students fell silent. A female classmate lowered her head and said, "Thank you, teacher. Actually, you don't need to do this for us. We're not in school anymore."

"What are you talking about," Jiang Wu interrupted: "I am your teacher. I must lead you to safety."

"Teacher, I miss home..."

"I miss my parents. I don't know where they are now..."

As the students spoke, they began to cry, their grief from the disaster finally breaking free.

Where there were tears, others followed, as if sorrow were contagious.

These refugees from the Wall all wept, each unable to help but feel sorrow—this was true devastation.

Only Ren Xiaoshi and the others sat among the crying crowd, looking bewildered...

"Brother, should we cry?" Yan Liu Yuan asked weakly, glancing around.

"It's fine, we don't cry..." Ren Xiaoshi said helplessly.

Suddenly, footsteps and voices came from the path they had taken.

From that direction, someone shouted, "Look, there's a firelight. There must be survivors!"

Ren Xiaoshi turned and saw a young man leading dozens of people rushing toward them, the young man excitedly shouting, "See, I told you I could lead you to meet the others!"

Ren Xiaoshi was puzzled. Weren't these people also refugees? Why had they only caught up now?

At that moment, the young man arrived at the main group, and someone asked, "You're also escaped from the Wall, right? I remember the people behind were blocked by those strange insects."

Someone replied, "Thanks to this Chen Wudi. He helped us reopen a path, and we escaped. By the way, he's a supernatural being!"

Chen Wudi, the young man, happily said, "This is what I should do. The Great Sage Equal to Heaven should subdue demons and protect the people!"

Ren Xiaoshi thought, What nonsense is this? He focused and noticed Chen Wudi's odd attire—a blue and white striped jacket with the words... 113 Wall Third Psychiatric Hospital...

So, he was a mental patient.

The title of Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Ren Xiaoshi had heard of it.

In the academy, there was a set of Journey to the West for students to borrow, and before the alcohol ban, there was a small tavern in the market town where the storyteller loved to recount episodes like Zhao Yun's seven advances and seven retreats at Changbanpo, and Sun Wukong's havoc in the Heavenly Palace.

Zhang Jinglin once said these were the Four Great Classical Novels, treasures of humanity, along with Dream of the Red Chamber and Water Margin, but the storyteller never told Dream of the Red Chamber.

Years ago, someone asked why the storyteller didn't tell Dream of the Red Chamber. The storyteller laughed and said, "It's not satisfying enough."

In the past, Ren Xiaoshi often took Yan Liu Yuan to listen to stories, but after the alcohol ban, life became harder, and the storyteller vanished, leaving no tales to hear.

At that moment, someone quietly asked Chen Wudi's companion: "Did he escape from the psychiatric hospital? Could he be one of those captured by the Qingshi Consortium recently?"

Chen Wudi's companion whispered, "Probably. He claims to be a supernatural being, able to conjure a staff and possess immense strength. But he insists he's the reincarnation of the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. We don't know if it's true..."

Honestly, if Chen Wudi weren't a supernatural being, they'd just consider him a delusional patient. But now, some people, half-believing, half-doubting, were starting to believe his claims...

Of course, only half.

Ren Xiaoshi watched Chen Wudi with interest, now curious about all supernatural beings. But Chen Wudi's gaze swept through the crowd, and when he saw Ren Xiaoshi, his expression changed, his eyes brimming with extreme joy!

"Make way! Make way!" Chen Wudi pushed through the crowd toward Ren Xiaoshi.

Ren Xiaoshi suddenly felt an ominous premonition. Yan Liu Yuan whispered, "Brother, do you know him?"

"I don't know!" Ren Xiaoshi muttered, puzzled.

Chen Wudi drew closer to Ren Xiaoshi, finally stopping in front of him, his eyes bright and intense...

"Master!" Chen Wudi exclaimed in delight.

Ren Xiaoshi: "???"

What the hell?!

Chen Wudi turned to shout at his companions: "I've found my master! You take care. I must escort him to fetch the sutras in the Western Paradise!"

Everyone: "......"

Wang Fugui was nearly laughing himself silly, unable to comprehend what was happening, but seeing Ren Xiaoshi's bewildered expression, he found it inexplicably amusing.

Yet at that moment, Chen Wudi turned to Wang Fugui: "Bajie, why are you laughing?"

Wang Fugui's smile froze: "???"

Chen Wudi ignored him and continued smiling at Wang Dalong: "Sha Seng, you're here too. Great."

Wang Dalong, bewildered, suddenly felt his relationship with his father had shifted—from father and son to sworn brothers...

"This damn..." Ren Xiaoshi suddenly felt a bit melancholic. Was he really going to fetch the sutras in the Western Paradise now?!

Life's turning points are such sudden things...