Chapter 82: What could be more important than being alive? [4K]
“Is this it? Isn’t it Hell on Earth?” Luxianbei scrutinized Hu Boss, whose face had turned pale, full of confusion. Suddenly, a light flashed in front of her eyes, and she softly exclaimed, “That can’t be the warmth of the world, right?”
It actually worked like this?
Just like going to an offline event for “Love and Magical Girls,” intending only to grab a couple of small gifts, but ending up winning a life-sized figure of Bai Xiaohua limited for the Spring Festival.
It’s simply unbelievable! Luxianbei thought.
“You’re dreaming!” Hu Boss tapped Luxianbei’s forehead with his chopsticks, rolling his eyes. “Even if you have the skill to cook the warmth of the world, how could you possibly do it without enough materials?”
Luxianbei, “…”
If you say that, the whole taste changes!
It was like finally winning a life-sized figure, only to be told there was a malfunction in the lottery system and it would have to be drawn again. Luxianbei thought, looking down at the plate of “Lived Through” in her hands, then glanced at Hu Boss, tilting her head. “Boss, if you say this is neither Hell on Earth nor the warmth of the world, then what exactly is it?”
Hu Boss furrowed his brows, falling silent, as if lost in thought or reminiscing about the lingering taste of “Lived Through.”
When he first tasted “Lived Through,” he was completely immersed in its intense impact of negative emotions, like suddenly falling into the depths of despair on a sunny day, unable to feel even a touch of warmth from the world, everything turning meaningless.
At that moment, he truly believed Luxianbei had created a genuine Hell on Earth, one with considerable lethality; if poured into a water plant reservoir, it could raise the s*icide rate of a medium-sized city by several percentage points.
However, at the last moment, he realized his judgment was off.
A few simple images and phrases turned all the negative energy he had previously felt into a case study! Before tasting “Lived Through,” Hu Boss had asked Luxianbei what story was hidden in the dish.
Luxianbei told him that if he wanted to know after eating, she would share it.
But as the aftertaste of “Lived Through” gradually arose, Hu Boss felt he no longer needed to hear that story.
He clearly experienced in the dish a narrative told in a tone of “Just let it be, fall into the abyss if you must,” which conveyed, “As long as there is a bit of hope, you should seize it, even if the next moment brings d*ath, there is still time for this moment.”
It was as if a person who had “lived through” was telling the diners, “Being loved is not luck,” “Somebody is still waiting for you,” “Don’t give up, keep living.”
Such a dish can absolutely not be considered Hell on Earth, yet it was not entirely the warmth of the world either.
If one had to say, this “Lived Through” was like a tiny wisp of warmth, falling into hell through a small crack.
It was destroyed but not entirely, it still retained a thread of life. d*mn, it was a peculiar thing!
However, despite being peculiar, Hu Boss had seen similar things before.
This dish reminded him of another person who created “peculiar things.” That spiritual ability user who had only partially mastered the warmth of the world.
When he had initially tasted that person’s dish, Hu Boss thought that the person cooked a complete warmth of the world, but in the end, he felt the insincerity.
To put it simply, that person knew what the warmth of the world should be like, but she completely did not believe it, resulting in all the emotions becoming phony.
If one had to pick which was better, they were both trash! Hu Boss thought vehemently.
It’s like making a choice between chocolate-flavored poop and poop-flavored chocolate. After pondering for a moment, Hu Boss spoke up, “Disaster Girl, may I ask you a few questions?” Luxianbei, “?”
What the heck? Wasn’t I the one asking you? Why are you turning it around on me?
This is like answering a comprehension question in an exam, going in circles, not only failing to solve the question but also creating new problems to throw back at the teacher.
If you keep this up, you’ll score zero! “You speak, you speak!”
Although she was filled with grievances, Luxianbei felt she needed something from Hu Boss, and she probably wouldn’t be able to beat him, so she didn’t show any displeasure.
“First, you don’t need to tell me the story behind this dish anymore, I already felt it.” Hu Boss said, “What I want to ask is, have you ever encountered similar suffering?”
He was somewhat curious about the mindset Luxianbei held when cooking this dish. “No,” Luxianbei replied without a moment’s thought.
Hu Boss didn’t even have time to ask how she got through if she had experienced it.
“Uh?” Hearing the unexpected answer, Hu Boss was momentarily taken aback, “Don’t you have any similar experiences? Every person, every urban legend, must encounter some difficulties, right?”
~Difficulties and suffering are not exactly the same. If we just talk about difficulties, then there are plenty! Luxianbei said expressionlessly. For instance, when I first saw urban legends, no one believed me.
For instance, standing at the bridge in Peach Source, almost failing to stop those spiritual ability users and urban legends.
And for instance, when I was a child and had only one dollar in my pocket, but wanted two things that each cost a dollar—these are all considerable difficulties!
Then she changed her tone, “However, there truly aren’t any that couldn’t be resolved.” Hu Boss narrowed his eyes slightly, “…”
Oh? I didn’t expect Disaster to seem so dim, yet have a core resilience that refused to give up? No wonder she could create such a dish!
While Hu Boss was thinking this, he suddenly heard Luxianbei’s next words, and his expression darkened.
“I don’t know if you’ve heard this saying, ‘There is nothing difficult in the world as long as one is willing to give up?'” Luxianbei said expressionlessly, “Not resolving it is also a way of resolving it!”
“By giving up on something that couldn’t be resolved, you save time to solve a few things that can be resolved, isn’t that good?”
“How to put it? It’s about you can defeat me as long as you don’t k*ll me?”
Hu Boss,
Are you polite? If Hemingway heard you say that, he might just turn the g*n he had aimed at himself towards you!
I was wrong, I really was wrong. She isn’t at all the type who has an inherent resilience against defeat, but rather the exact opposite.
Accepting descent into hell and simply surviving there is probably the true essence of why Disaster cooked this dish. Hu Boss thought.
Just when he thought Luxianbei was that kind of person, utterly defeated, as if a lump of sludge without any resilience, Luxianbei continued, “What could be more important than being alive?!”
“As long as I’m alive, there’s still room for maneuvering. I’m still so young; who knows how things will be in the future?”
“Five years, ten years, a hundred years… life is so long, there will always be unexpected warmth and everlasting beauty. I want to see it, so I have to keep living!”
Upon hearing this, Hu Boss paused for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully.
He finally understood what kind of person Luxianbei was.
She’s the type who makes the worst assumptions but seems to have given up resistance and lies down. However, when real suffering descends, she won’t completely despair, still holding a glimmer of beautiful expectation for the future.
“Second question.” Hu Boss pondered for a moment, then asked a question that even he felt was somewhat superfluous, “If you were to cook this dish again, would you be willing to destroy that last bit of hope?”
Luxianbei remained silent, but her slightly furrowed willow brows, combined with the hesitation in her gaze, had already given Hu Boss his answer.
Upon hearing this question from Hu Boss, she suddenly realized where her problem lay that led to this dish not becoming Hell on Earth.
The issue lay in the plot where Huo Qianli generously met his end.
Dying appropriately, achieving transcendental liberation—what kind of Hell on Earth is that?
But if she had to destroy that final hope, she would find herself incapable of doing so.
Alright, I get it. You probably can’t create a complete Hell on Earth. Hu Boss waved his hand.
Immediately after, seeing Luxianbei’s lips slightly parting as if she wanted to ask, he interrupted, “You want to know if the warmth of the world can be made?”
“Mm-hmm!” Luxianbei nodded.
“Right now, it seems like it might be a bit of a joke.” Hu Boss smiled, “But it will be difficult. In any case, you should first find a way to gather the materials, okay?”
“If it really doesn’t work, I’ll help you out later.”
I don’t want to be the owner of Liao Zhai Tavern for even a day! Hu Boss thought.
“Ah? Then let me thank you in advance, Boss!” Luxianbei said.
I can’t be bothered to care what schemes lie behind this good intention. If you plan to trick me, just don’t blame me for being rude later! Luxianbei thought.
Maybe she wasn’t necessarily skilled in other matters, but she was quite adept at seizing fleeting opportunities to backstab others at critical moments.
“By the way, Boss!” Luxianbei looked down at the “Lived Through” in her hands and asked, “Can I take this dish home today?”
I have to let Stinky Sister taste it, so she knows what “Lived Through” means, otherwise she’ll keep being stubborn.
Even if she comes over in her meat suit to help absorb some damage, creating a little output space, that kind of behavior wouldn’t be called “living through,” it should be called “idling”!——
—
In the end, Luxianbei indeed got Hu Boss’s consent to successfully pack “Lived Through,” preparing to take it home for Stinky Sister to enjoy.
Having learned the recipe for Hell on Earth, as long as she gathered enough materials, she would be able to start cooking the warmth of the world, which counts as a viable plan.
After leaving Liao Zhai Tavern, walking the road back to Jingyi Apartment Complex, her mood should have been quite beautiful.
If not for Proxy Player Sister incessantly chattering in her ear.
Yes, as soon as Luxianbei stepped out of the Liao Zhai Tavern’s door, she was again followed by Proxy Player Sister. “Alright, you don’t need to care too much about the fact that you couldn’t cook up Hell on Earth. If you really want it, I actually have another method.”
Hearing this, Luxianbei’s eyes lit up, and she turned to Proxy Player Sister, “Finally, you said something sensible after following me all this way!”
“Since this information is so important, you could have skipped the trash talk beforehand.”
Upon hearing this, Proxy Player Sister crossed her arms, rolling her eyes.
The expression seemed to say, “What do you think?”
Luxianbei, “I don’t think that’s acceptable! If it were me, it would definitely not work.”
“I’m just asking!” Luxianbei said, “Let’s get back to serious business. You just said that if I wanted to obtain Hell on Earth, there’s another way? What’s that method?”
If she could integrate Hell on Earth into an alchemical dirty bomb, that would be spectacular!
By then, before taking on an enemy, she’d first unleash a barrage of paper cicadas, equipped with “Alchemical Dirty Bomb: Hell Type,” for a carpet bombing, then make her appearance, which would at least increase her win rate by eighty percent. Luxianbei excitedly thought.
“Very simple!” Proxy Player Sister shrugged. “After the cooking is complete, just add some stuff to it.”
“Add some stuff? Malice?” Luxianbei cautiously probed.
“Not…,” Proxy Player Sister replied irritably, “Could you stop obsessing over your malice?”
Why does it sound so dirty?
In that moment, she suddenly felt a sense of self-disdain. “Not malice, then what?” Luxianbei tilted her head.
“I remember, didn’t you raise a little urban legend specifically to help you create malice in the world?” Proxy Player Sister revealed an unsettling smile. “Just add some world malice to it!”
“This kind of thing is like making a delicious dish and then adding a mountain of salt, completely ruining the flavor.”
Upon saying this, Proxy Player Sister paused, her smile becoming increasingly twisted, as if she were basking in the joy of destruction, happily spinning around.
“In the final moments of descent, let people see a flicker of light. But just as they are about to grasp that light, they realize it is a false hope, and that will create the ultimate Hell on Earth!”
“That’s just fantastic!”
Luxianbei, “…”
She suddenly felt a sense of self-disdain again. Why is it so dark and twisted?
It sounded like a good method, but Luxianbei furrowed her brows, “Wouldn’t this be a bit too much?”
“What?” Proxy Player Sister tilted her head. “Are you reluctant to spill the little urban legend’s bl**d? I thought you were enjoying torturing it before!”
“Not exactly.” Luxianbei waved her hand, saying earnestly, “I have no psychological burden in torturing the eye; I mainly worry about delaying the product development progress of Disaster Scare’s irresponsible company.”
“After all, besides the eye, there aren’t many urban legends that are so weak and can withstand product trials.”
Goodness, as expected of me! Proxy Player Sister thought, muttering under her breath.
“Well, don’t rush it. Let’s talk when you need it; you can’t use Hell on Earth right now anyway.”
“Meanwhile, you still have important things to take care of.”
“Other things?” Luxianbei asked. “What things? Taking Stinky Sister to farm materials?”
“Is that even considered important?”
Luxianbei thought for a moment, seriously acknowledging, “It definitely has a low priority, but it does barely make it into the top five.”
“Proxy Player Sister was at a loss for words for a moment and then followed Luxianbei’s words, asking, “Then how does infiltrating the Solar Eclipse Society rank on the priority list?”
(Huff—! This chapter discussing concepts and settings is truly hard to write. In attempting to explain clearly, while also keeping it interesting, it has consumed a good deal of my hair and brain cells.)
