Chapter 1106: The Good Traveler
Capturing Pig Eyes didn't mean that Lin Sanjiu could relax. She didn't have any corresponding conditions of her own, and Bohemia's corresponding conditions had long become a wasteland. Upon careful consideration, they realized they had no method to securely bind him. Pig Eyes was experienced and cunning. He might find an opportunity to escape, and who would they turn to for information about the Concrete World Branch?
Bohemia seemed to be pondering the same dilemma. She hesitated, shifting back and forth between Lin Sanjiu and Pig Eyes, torn between wanting to hide and guard Pig Eyes and couldn't decide who should be next to him.
So, it's better to resolve this quickly!
With determination, Lin Sanjiu made her decision. Since most of her Higher Consciousness was derived from Pig Eyes, she might as well use it.
In the sudden turn of events, she had some fun like a cat playing with a mouse. But now, with limited time, her enthusiasm had waned. In a subdued voice, she cut to the chase, "Tell me, when did the Concrete World Branch disappear?"
The mouse-gray star flickered slightly, perhaps looking for an opportunity to escape. When he realized that Lin Sanjiu's Higher Consciousness enveloped him tightly, he ceased to shine and transformed into a human form.
In his human form, the face adorned with two small eyes, once restored to normal proportions, was slightly more pleasing to the eye. This man was far from attractive, with a stretched-out neck and an outward-turned lower lip. From the side, he resembled a turtle more than a pig. His arms and belly hung loosely due to a lack of exercise, and his sagging skin was hard to believe on a posthuman.
"You're using my Higher Consciousness quite naturally."
Pig Eyes examined the two stars surrounding him and paused for a few seconds on Bohemia's golden-brown radiance. As he transitioned from the brain back to the Astral Plane, he regained his confidence and attitude, "I can't blame you. After all, it's a dog-eat-dog world. That's the logic I believe in."
"Concrete World Branch," Lin Sanjiu coldly reminded him.
"Oh," he said, slowly enunciating the word, taking over a second to speak, "Why are you inquiring about it? Although its function is interesting, I don't think it's a necessity in life. If you want to communicate with other worlds, there are many ways to do that. I can teach you a few methods, and if you return what you took from me, we can consider ourselves even."
Clearly, Pig Eyes was trying to stall for time.
"Taken from me?" Bohemia suddenly interjected. She was sharper than Lin Sanjiu when it came to these acts of theft. "You used the word 'things,' not 'Higher Consciousness.' Does that mean... she didn't just take your Higher Consciousness, but something else too?"
Even a fool could probably piece together the situation after observing the comparison of Higher Consciousness between the two. But it was impressive how Bohemia could catch the clue from an unintentional choice of words. Her actions from her days of looting didn't seem to go to waste.
Pig Eyes fell silent instantly. After two seconds, he said dryly, "A few points of Potential Growth Value less, it doesn't really bother me."
"I can't tell. Your mother raised you to be quite generous!" Bohemia said sweetly, "So, a few points of Potential Growth Value don't mean much to you, huh?"
Lin Sanjiu couldn't help but laugh. Now she might finally be able to make up for that lost portion of Potential Growth Value. She just needed to figure out how to transfer it to her like electricity.
Pig Eyes seemed to grit his teeth in silence for a while, weighing his options. Eventually, he conceded, "I don't know much about the Concrete World Branch. If I tell you, will you give me my things back?"
The question was incredibly naive, almost cute. However, the one asking the question was far from naive or cute.
Lin Sanjiu gave Bohemia an instinctual glance. At this moment, Bohemia still resembled a star, and Lin Sanjiu couldn't tell if Bohemia was experiencing the same doubt. After some thought, she gave her command in a low voice, "You go first."
Surprisingly, this time, Pig Eyes was willing to get straight to the point.
According to his account, it seems that the Concrete World Branch disappeared shortly after Bohemia left, "I only heard this news several days later. At first, no one believed it and rushed over to find it in vain. Even now, there are still posthumans who don't know the situation and come looking for the Concrete World Branch." Pig's Eyes organized his thoughts and continued, "As for the specific reasons, I've heard several theories. The most common one is that before the Concrete World Branch disappeared, someone took control of it and wanted to monopolize it, so they somehow moved it."
This theory aligns with the clues Bohemia obtained.
"Who controlled it? Where did they move it to?"
Pig Eyes glanced at Lin Sanjiu and cautiously asked, "Are you trying to contact someone from another world? I won't lie to you, there might be other ways. Don't we often have the Good Traveler Service in the Astral Plane? I know a few of them, and maybe they can help... "
Lin Sanjiu originally intended to interrupt him, but upon hearing Good Traveler Service, she couldn't help but ask, "What is that?"
That worked out well as Pig's Eyes would find it more challenging to discern her true intentions.
"In the vast multiverse, not everyone is lucky enough to have the exceptional corresponding conditions that I do," Pig Eyes said in a matter-of-fact tone, without any false modesty. "The specific corresponding conditions generated are unpredictable, much like evolutionary abilities. So, what if someone's corresponding condition doesn't provide any combat capabilities? Well, you have to adapt and make the most of your strengths. For example, some people can project imperceptible false images, while others can perform divination and prediction... There are all sorts of corresponding conditions. Naturally, there are also those who can make contact with other worlds. The fees are reasonable, and both sides can negotiate."
Just as Lin Sanjiu was about to seek confirmation from Bohemia, the latter leaned in closer and whispered, "It's a real thing, although I've never used it."
"Why not?"
"He said, Good Traveler Service," she replied with a hint of displeasure. "In the past, I had quite a reputation, and the posthumans offering these services were too afraid to approach me."
It wasn't because her reputation was too great but because it was too bad—she hadn't even managed to establish herself as a good traveler in others' eyes.
Lin Sanjiu refocused her thoughts and continued, "Tell me, who exactly controlled the Concrete World Branch?"
"How could I know that!" Pig's Eyes exclaimed. "If every big shot had to report to me before doing anything, I'd become the king of the Astral Plane!"
That's right—Lin Sanjiu didn't know how to continue pressing him, but Bohemia suddenly said, "But you definitely know more than you're letting on."
Pig Eyes widened his pig-like eyes, but not by much; they remained two dark, small beads.
"Your star color was inconspicuous to begin with, and your corresponding conditions are so suited for stealth," Bohemia summarized it all without a moment's notice, "I can't believe that you were just coincidentally lurking near the branch. The people who go to the old address are posthumans who still don't know that the branch disappeared after all this time; it indicates that these people don't frequently enter the Astral Plane, and consequently, their Higher Consciousness generally isn't very strong. You probably saw an opportunity in that and deliberately waited nearby to catch them, didn't you?"
She continued, "These tactics are leftovers from my earlier days. Do you think I can't see through them? Since you were sitting there every day, unless you're deaf and blind, you couldn't have only known this much."
If she didn't have to keep Pig Eyes' Higher Consciousness trapped, Lin Sanjiu would have been tempted to give her a hearty pat on the shoulder.
"Alright, alright, if you insist on prying some true and false rumors from me, I can't stop you," Pig's Eyes rambled on with his numerous words, and Lin Sanjiu was growing impatient. It was only after a while that he said, "It seems to be a very mysterious person. Many people have seen them, but no one knows whether that person is a man or a woman. Sometimes he appears as a strong man, and at other times as an old lady. If it weren't for the continuity in his actions and speech, you probably wouldn't recognize him. Who's heard of him before? He's from who-knows-which world, but he quickly gained control over many people. It seems to be because his evolutionary ability is exceptionally powerful; once someone falls victim, they can't be eliminated until the world shift. Of course, that's as long as you haven't been killed..."
The words 'old lady' touched a nerve of Lin Sanjiu.
Magus's body had been in a state of perpetual slumber, and her consciousness had been trapped in the Astral Plane for a long time, which was already abnormal. The true identity of the owner of the [Concept Mishmash] ability encountered in the Meat Elysium is still a mystery until now.
These two seemed to have a lot in common... and the target had always been Magus.
"Be careful!" Bohemia suddenly shouted, startling Lin Sanjiu—it was already too late by the time she heard the shout. A star streaked towards them from a distance, leaving a long trail of light. In an instant, the space around them turned blinding white, making it nearly impossible to see. The snowflake-like star lingered in Lin Sanjiu's field of vision for just a fraction of a moment, and she suddenly felt Pig Eyes' Higher Consciousness, which she had been holding onto, disintegrate as if it had turned into scattered snowflakes.
"Why are you so late!" Pig Eyes regained his freedom, immediately flying upwards. He left these words far behind.
The white star paused briefly in place, then rushed out in the same direction as the others, leaving behind a dazzling stream of light.
"In the case of house calls for old customers, there's a fifty percent surcharge, Mr. Mo!" Bohemia, who had temporarily forgotten her current weak state, followed suit, shaking her head and tail as she shouted. "That guy must've called for the Good Traveler Service at some point! Damn it, I didn't know there were such shameless service providers. They come running to lick people's boots as soon as they're called!"
The white star had to keep up with Pig Eyes and shake off Bohemia, and yet it still found the time to exchange words from a distance, "Don't you understand business? Cave dweller!"
While she watched the three stars speed off, Lin Sanjiu remained motionless. Pig Eyes had been under her Higher Consciousness control the entire time, and the only opportunity to call for Good Traveler Service was in the short few seconds when he had just left her brain. It dawned on her that the white star providing Good Traveler Service was likely specialized in effortlessly breaking down her Higher Consciousness. With this thought, she had already reassembled her fragmented Higher Consciousness.
After Pig Eyes' revelations, her Potential Growth Value seemed to have been stimulated, and her growth rate had unconsciously increased significantly. Combined with Pig Eyes' own Potential Growth Value and Higher Consciousness, the energy surging within her body was so overwhelming that she wasn't sure of the current strength of her Higher Consciousness.
Lin Sanjiu returned to her human form and gently closed her eyes.
When she opened them again, she was like a shooting star, tracing an arc across the dark night sky, leaving countless fast-moving stars far behind. Her speed even made her feel slightly nervous; it was as if she could spark a long trail of fire at any moment by rubbing against the pitch-black void.
Lowering her gaze, the grey star was already beneath her feet.