Huang Zao plopped down to the ground, fiercely hit his head on the floor, and begged for forgiveness: “My two Lords! I am Huang Zao, the one who fled. I was wrong, I have committed an unforgivable crime! I will not resist death or dismemberment, no matter the punishment, it is my Lords’ decisions!”
Soon after, Lan Zao also kneeled and appealed the body double for forgiveness.
Cang Xu then served as their defender.
Zi Di looked at the two kneeling brothers and couldn’t help but sneer: “This lowly and cowardly villain deceived Lord Zhen Jin by selfishly hiding the fact that there was a silver level magic beast. He then got cold feet and escaped at a critical moment, putting a noble bloodline in danger, and bit the hand that fed him! Scholar, how can you advise that we deal with such a leech lightly?”
On the surface she was like this, however the girl’s heart filled with happiness.
The situation was better than she expected, for she originally thought a fight was necessary to gain their allegiance.
After Cang Xu gained a lenient punishment for Lan Zao and Huang Zao, the two brothers voluntarily became slaves.
“My Lord.” Zi Di looked at the youngster and calmly waited for the latter to decide with a subordinate attitude. Her heart was somewhat worried the body double would let his emotions affect his judgement.
In the end, the body double stated: “You cannot overestimate nor can you underestimate people. This is the Bai Zhen Clan’s motto. Therefore, Huang Zao and Lan Zao, I am willing to give you both a chance. I hope you can serve loyally and earnestly and change my opinion of you two.”
“The light of the temple will cover every inch of land. The banner of the empire will shelter every person of the empire. Follow me and I will lead you all out of here alive.”
Zi Di relaxed after a breath.
The body double’s emotions didn’t affect him, instead he emphasized gains with a very noble demeanor.
“Most of all, to put it briefly, he really resembles a true templar knight……”
One by one, everyone kneeled and recognized the body double as their leader.
“Despite being a phony, the body double with the dual identities of a templar knight and a noble easily became their leader. If it were me, I couldn’t accomplish this so quickly. Alas……to achieve this, I would need to spend more time and energy, I am greatly surpassed by the body double.”
As the exploration team rested, the body double summoned Cang Xu.
“How are the body double’s leadership skills?”
“Based on intelligence and my personal observations, Zhen Jin’s leadership skills are worrying.”
“This won’t work, I must help him.”
Since Zi Di was idle, she quickly did preliminary checks on every team member.
Soon, she reconstructed the entire truth.
“This Cang Xu isn’t simple!” When they were alone, Zi Di warned the body double.
“You cannot overestimate people, nor can you underestimate them.” The body double sighed, then he reminded Zi Di, “We need to keep it a secret that my memory is broken and that I can’t activate battle qi.”
Zi Di nodded repeatedly with a respectful face: “I understand, my Lord.”
She was just about to remind the body double of this matter.
She also didn’t want this secret exposed.
Cang Xu’s appearance made Zi Di vigilant.
This old scholar was definitely intelligent, with the body double’s intellect and agility already causing Zi Di more pressure, if Cang Xu knew more, it would greatly harm Zi Di.
“Go make arrangements to call in each member of the exploration team one by one, and I will speak to them alone in this tent.” The body double instructed Zi Di before she left.
This action made the girl faintly distracted.
Soon after, she inquired about the body double’s promise from the mouths of Bai Ya and others——as long as they performed well, they might be able to follow him and join White Sands City! At worst, they would be guards in White Sands City.
Zi Di’s respect for the body double increased a level.
“Apparently, although he lost all his memories, he definitely still has leadership capabilities. My prior worries were somewhat unnecessary. Could it be because of his original identity?”
Zi Di began to become curious about the body double’s original identity.
Because she knew, if it were Zhen Jin, he never would have done these things.
Zhen Jin treated these commoners with arrogance and was unlikely to ever dispense with posturing to interview or chat with these people in a one-on-one format. Perhaps he would believe that these people being able to follow him was their fortune.
In the tent, the body double, Zi Di, Cang Xu, and the others began to discuss their next actions and travel direction.
After everyone merged the maps on hand, the body double opened his mouth: “Right now we are located here, and our goal is to return there.”
No one opposed converging with the main group.
Zi Di’s heart sighed; War Merchant’s inheritance was still on her mind. Previously, there was only her and the body double, however now that they subdued a group of people, Zi Di’s ambitions rose again.
Cang Xu began to speculate and declared an astounding conjecture——the island’s magic beasts were artificial.
The body double was surprised, because this was the first time he had heard such a theory.
Zi Di was also surprised, as she sized up the old scholar, she became more alert: how did he know this secret?
Cang Xu slowly explained: “Ever since I arrived on this island, I have dissected many magic beasts. I have found that even though they have a stable condition, and their organs work together closely, as if they were born this way. However, upon deeper investigation, they were unnatural.”
Zi Di wrinkled her brows as she mulled over Cang Xu’s words: “Unnatural?”
Cang Xu’s explanation caused everyone to gradually accept his conjecture.
Zi Di relaxed, Cang Xu didn’t know it, his guess was merely produced through his rich scholarly knowledge.
“This old scholar is very savvy; he wasn’t an ordinary noble housekeeper.” Zi Di’s heart evaluated.
Lan Zao couldn’t help but ask: “In that case, who could create so many magic beasts? Is it a great figure from the empire? Is it the gods? Only gods have the great power of creation, right? “
Zi Di’s heart moved, through Cang Xu’s speculation, everyone’s understanding of Mystifying Monster Island deepened by a lot.
Zi Di didn’t take the initiative to explain anything, because it would provoke suspicion. Cang Xu was an unexpected character!
“But at this point, can I take advantage of the situation? I can advise these people and influence them to look for the alchemy factory. As long as I don’t create abnormal suspicion, any attempt is worth it!”
Thus, she said: “It could also be a magician. As far as I know, legend ranked magicians can transform and operate a demi-plane. Isn’t that like imitating the gods’ power to create?”
Cang Xu then guessed: “I think the teleportation mechanism, which seems like terrain changing, is very possibly the island master’s method to maintain the island’s ecology.”
Zi Di looked at Cang Xu, then advised everyone: “If these beasts were also being teleported by the island master, it could be for the purpose of making them fight each other and selecting the most powerful monster. It is like the Alchemy Puppet Competition held by the Alchemy Guild, to cultivate the strongest living weapon?”
Cang Xu smiled: “Lord Zi Di your analysis is very reasonable, that is also a likely possibility. However, I firmly believe that it being used for maintaining the ecology is more likely……”
Zi Di also believed Cang Xu’s words were very reasonable.
“Maybe, this teleportation mechanism has both these purposes!”
The girl opened her mouth again: “In that case, the reason why the island master deliberately built the rainforests, forests, deserts, snowy mountains, and other terrains is for the purpose of restricting these artificial beasts and also to stabilize the island’s ecology and keep the natural balance? However, why do I feel; that they want to filter out one that can adapt to all environments, the strongest monster!”
(If someone connects this to beastified people and life alchemy, perhaps someone can guess the island master is War Merchant from that.)
“Chaotic magic power is extremely unstable and can sometimes explode……this unusual environment that prohibits the usage of low level magic and battle qi protects these magic beasts, maintains their stability, and allows them to live in the world indefinitely.”
Zi Di couldn’t help but respect Cang Xu even more.
She already guessed at the secret, but she didn’t expect an outsider like Cang Xu would also have examined it so deeply. These were merely accomplished through the old scholar’s erudition and wisdom.
Seeing no one wanted to search for the control hub, Zi Di finally couldn’t help herself: “If Mr. Cang Xu’s hypothesis is true, then both this island and the magic beasts were all transformed. In that case, this island is bound to have a central hub. Say, what do you think will happen if we find this central hub?”
Lan Zao promptly replied: “Isn’t that too dangerous? An existence that can transform an entire island and also create so many magic beasts is something that we cannot resist. This is simply asking for death!”
Zi Di smiled and shook her head: “Not really.”
“Think carefully, according to our previous analysis, there are two strong possibilities.”
“Possibility one, the island master is away and not on the island. This is the most opportune time for us to launch an attack on the control hub.”
“Possibility two, the island master has always been here, but they have not been observing us or making us struggle and might not care about us at all. But if we were to successfully escape from this island, they would definitely take action to dispose of us to maintain their secrets.”
“Therefore, rather than letting that happen, it is better to storm the control hub directly.”
“Once the control hub is destroyed, we would be able to stop the teleportations and restore the island’s normal environment. We would then be able to use magic and battle qi while those terrifying beasts would perish as a result. This would be extremely beneficial for us to escape.”
Lan Zao was dumbstruck, it makes sense when you think about it this way!
Zi Di once more looked at the body double, her eyes glittering: “Lord Zhen Jin, we are heading to the Beastmen Continent to fight for White Sand City. If we can obtain this kind of magic technology, we can mass produce silver level and even gold level magic beasts. Even if these vicious beasts can only last a short period of time, they can still self-detonate. Don’t you think this would be a huge advantage for us?”
For a split second, the body double felt a rush of excitement.
“My Lord.” Cang Xu spoke slowly, “I do not agree with Lord Zi Di’s proposal.”
Cang Xu’s four reasons, with their clear logic and distinct arrangement, completely moved the body double.
The body double pondered for a while, then nodded: “Your analysis is good. The control hub is covered in fog, the risk is too high, and our strength is lacking. Our first objective is to join with the larger groups and make a ship to escape this island as soon as possible.”
“Repulsive!” Zi Di secretly clenched her fists with great unwillingness.
“Don’t tell me I must let War Merchant's inheritance slip away?”
“It is the inheritance of an alchemy grandmaster!”
“If I obtain it, my life and fate will be overturned and improved!”
Zi Di couldn’t do anything, nor could she state the truth. Some illumination might invite trouble and destroy her.
The decision had been made, however no one rushed to set out.
Because Cang Xu proposed they kill a herd of goats to gain a great amount of food.
Zi Di also approved of this proposal, food was very important while this easy operation was likely to deepen the body double’s prestige.
However, the affair grew beyond everyone’s expectations.
Because everyone was poisoned by the goat meat.
Almost everyone was paralyzed and collapsed to the ground.
The symptoms seemed like cold poison, however that was wrong.
In her daze, Zi Di thought of something, but she couldn’t grasp that flash of inspiration in her mind.
“I don’t have much time!”
Amongst her impatience, Zi Di promptly made a choice.
“My Lord, the red……white mushroom cap bottle……” Zi Di pointed with a stiff finger towards the small bag on her waist.
Zi Di could barely open her mouth as the youngster began to pour out the thick red potion from the bottle.
As the potion entered her mouth, Zi Di’s heart suddenly shook as she captured that inspiration.
“Hold on! Maybe it was that?”
It was too late.
The next moment, her eyes turned over and she sank into a coma.
Luckily, following this, before Cang Xu lost consciousness, he warned the body double that they needed to return to where they hunted the goats at once.
Everyone recovered; however, they sank into panic and their morale slumped.
To stabilize morale, the body double told everyone: “Things are far from getting out of hand, and do not forget that we have Ms. Zi Di, not only is she a magician, she is also an extraordinarily skilled pharmacist.”
The body double seemed to have forgotten that Zi Di knocked herself unconscious after drinking a potion.
However, there were many people who saw it and during the return trip they had spread this fact.
Is she really competent?
The body double guaranteed: “Previously, none of us knew what caused the poisoning and it was very normal to make mistakes during diagnosis and treatment. When using potions, it was necessary to use the right medicine for the illness. Now that we know the root cause, it is an entirely different kettle of fish! How can these insignificant goat flocks stop us? Everyone, I will guide you out of this island. It is far too early to give up now.”
Emotion sprung up in Zi Di’s heart.
She made a mistake when she couldn’t detect the poison in the goat meat. When she detoxified herself, she also miscalculated.
Even in this situation, the body double still trusted her.
This feeling of trust felt really good……
As the body double stabilized the people’s hearts and sorted out the situation, he was like the morning sun, his sunlight was not dazzling, but it gave them hope.
He also resembled a flag that fluttered on top of a castle, as long as one saw the flag in the blue sky, it would inevitably attract their interest and show them the way.
This gave Zi Di another feeling of reliability: “Compared to Zhen Jin, his leadership is superior.”
Congregating in a tent, the higher ups were vexed about the poisoning incident.
But Zi Di already grasped her mind’s inspiration, testing a potion on the spot, she refined many small pellets.
She carefully watched these small pellets with shining eyes: “Everyone, I believe I have found the true cause.”
It appeared like poison on the surface, while the true cause was the goat meat’s hidden ice magic power. Under low temperatures, the latter was subdued, and when everyone ate it, they suffered magical erosion.
Fortune and calamity were interdependent, for this goat meat was a very valuable commodity.
The girl’s purple eyes shined as she looked at the body double: “Lord Zhen Jin, if we develop and control this business, it will no doubt be a great help to you. Regardless of the White Sand City Lord competition, if you become White Sand City’s lord you will need a great amount of capital. This business is like giving yourself wings! It could also bring us the support of top nobles!”
Zi Di sighed to herself: “This is only a miniscule part of War Merchant’s inheritance, yet its value is already so high. It is truly difficult to imagine how immense the earnings would be with War Merchant’s complete inheritance.”
Despite finding the cause, it was difficult to solve this problem, in addition everyone was relying on Zi Di.
No one, including the body double and Cang Xu, could help.
In her closed tent, Zi Di confronted this challenge alone.
“Zi Di, you can do it, make the extra effort!” The purple eyed girl deeply breathed and began her attempts.
When the first attempt failed, Zi Di was quickly covered in sweat.
As failures constantly appeared while success seemed far into the indefinite future, the pressure in her heart grew.
If she couldn’t resolve this problem, they would be trapped here forever. Then, both converging with the larger group and searching for the alchemy factory would be extravagant hopes.
“You must perform! For father’s enemies and the Wisteria Merchant Alliance……Zi Di, you must solve this issue!” Zi Di clenched her teeth and persevered.
Struggling late into the night alone, Zi Di put her hand into her handbag and suddenly stopped.
“I’m out of medicinal ingredients!”
Her feet seemed to step on air as she fell into the abyss.
For a good while, she was like a stone statue that was frozen in place.
Medicinal ingredients were crucial, by using them up, it meant that she had utterly failed!
Like a tsunami, despair and dejection flooded Zi Di’s heart.
She stumbled, nearly fell to the ground, almost cried bitterly.
“Calm down! Calm down!” Her heart advised her, however tears still silently splattered onto the ground.
She knew panic wouldn’t help as she began to take deep breaths.
But the deep breaths were ineffective.
Her emotional state was in chaos, making it hard to ponder things.
At this time, she smelled the body double’s scent.
As early as the wharf, in order to be safe, she sprinkled some odor compound on his body.
Only by taking the corresponding potion could Zi Di smell it.
Inhaling this scent, Zi Di’s heart slowly calmed down.
She knew as she struggled alone, the body double had always been guarding her tent.
Suddenly, she didn’t feel so lonely anymore.
In these desperate straits, she still had someone else to confront and struggle through these challenges together!
“He used his own style to help me……to the best of his abilities.”
“He protected me.”
“He still thinks I don’t know……”
“Despite not being a true templar knight, despite the possibility of him finding trouble with me in the future, at this moment……”
It’s really good that you’re by my side
When Zi Di’s mood was completely serene, she quietly wiped the tears off her cheeks.
“I still have hope!”
“Although key medicinal ingredients have been used up, I can try to use substitutes.”
The valuable knowledge was in the barbarian race leather book.
Zi Di was unsure and inexperienced in this field, however the youngster’s existence gave her the courage to try again.
Another failure.
Failure, an additional failure.
Continuous failures.
Zi Di no longer knew how many times she had failed, and she had already become apathetic to a failing result. Even when success came at the last moment, she still subconsciously tried again.
The next moment, Zi Di covered her mouth, gazed at the liquid in the medicinal bottle, and wept hot tears.
Tidying up her mood and appearance, she softly sniffed.
The body double was still there.
Outside the tent, the sun illuminated the east and rose-tinted clouds filled the sky.
Zi Di called out: “Lord Zhen Jin, are you still there?”
“Yes.” The youngster replied immediately.
“Please come in.”
Entering the tent, all kinds of strange scents became stronger and poured into the body double’s nose.
But his scent was tightly caught by Zi Di.
Zi Di gazed at the body double and lifted a glass bottle: “Luckily, I didn’t fail.”
The liquid was azure and looked like seawater. The waves on the surface weren’t frightening, however turbulent secrets flowed in its depths.
Notes
Failure is tough to deal with for anyone, especially for one still in their youth. Zi Di’s past failures continue to haunt her. Despite her attempts, her actions have led to her father’s death, her entrapment on this island, and eventually her end at the hands of Zhen Jin. But through it all, she still maintains hope because with a man that can fulfill literally any strange desire she has, she still has so much to live for.