Cthulhu Gonfalon

There were some truths, no matter which part of the world, that would always be reliable, for instance, “genuine knowledge comes from practice.”

In the face of the callous lords and the civilians who had difficulties in simply surviving, those naive reformists were greatly affected. Their mindsets had since changed most drastically, and among them, there were many who even underwent a complete change of heart to directly become a part of the most intense anti-aristocracy group. They changed to such a degree that Sui Xiong had to change to another perspective in order to give them ideological and political classes. He spoke to them about the principle of gradual improvement and gave a lengthy talk about how “Rome was not built in a day” and so on. He tried his best to detoxify them by feeding them with full-flavored “chicken soup for the soul.”

Fortunately, there were not many who were either extreme leftists or extreme rightists. Most of the reformists did not jump from one extreme end to the other extreme end upon realizing their mistakes. They were only slightly depressed for a while. Thereafter, they picked themselves up and re-emerged with high enthusiasm and morale as they immersed themselves into their job again.

As for whether any credit went to the few articles that Sui Xiong sent them, especially that story on the life of Pavel Korchagin, no one knew. That story inspired countless readers on Earth by showing that a person’s life should be spent like this: “When he looks back at his entire lifetime, he will not have any regrets over the time he idled away, nor will he be ashamed of not accomplishing anything at all. On his deathbed, he would be able to say, ‘My whole life and all my energy has been dedicated to the most magnificent cause in the world—the fight for the liberation of all mankind.’”

“I suddenly realized that as a traverser, I have a huge advantage,” Sui Xiong said to Crick amidst all the rumbling sounds of gunfire. “That generic method of using ‘chicken soup for the soul,’ which has become so commonplace on Earth, and all those famous sayings and epigrams on Earth where even the children can recite the whole thing—they are all still very fresh and new in this world. So long as I use them all, I will be successful in whatever I do; this is simply a magical object at an extrinsic level.”

Crick sighed and said, “I already knew this.”

He turned his chair with both hands, then slowly walked to the table. He poured himself a cup of tea, then with the cup in his hand, he sighed again and said, “Don’t you feel the signs that you are getting a little delirious?”

“Ah?”

“Someone who is perfectly fine, but talking to himself all day, this is obviously a sign that you are starting to get a little schizophrenic,” said Crick as he shook his head. Then he said, “We are of one body, not only do we share the same knowledge, even our thoughts are the same. Whatever you want to say, I will know even before you actually say it; likewise, whatever I want to say, before that you would already have known. What is the point in having a conversation like this?”

Sui Xiong laughed, “Don’t you remember reading that novel on immortals before traversing world? In the novel, there was a master who was greatly accomplished in his cultivation. He relished in frequently cutting up three of his dead bodies, then with a bang, another him would jump out from his body and make a bow with his hands folded in front, then greet him with a, ‘Hello, my friend…’”

“That’s definitely not just killing three clones, that’s simply a personality disorder alright!” Crick said with a frown. “And even if it’s cutting up three dead bodies, I’ve never seen anyone talking to the three dead bodies that one has made a cloned of. You actually coming here to chat with me, what difference is it from talking to yourself? Think about it carefully, this is even more serious that having a split personality. If this is not considered as having a neurological illness, then I’m afraid there will no longer be anyone considered to be mentally ill in this world anymore.”

“It’s not that serious, I don’t think…”

“Though it might not be so for the time being, if this continues to develop, the situation will get serious,” Crick said, with no expression on his face. “I’ve gone through the statistics, in recent years, you have been coming over for an idle chat with me more and more frequently.”

“What does this show?” asked Sui Xiong.

“It shows that you are lonely. So lonely to the point that you need to depend on self-talk to send your loneliness away,” Crick said coldly. “In terms of power, you might already be one of the few masters who is very near to the peak of the pyramid of power in this world, but in terms of spiritual cultivation, you’re still just a normal person. You are much stronger than the average person, but the spiritual side of you has yet to undergo any essential change. Your emotions are still similar to that of the ordinary person. I’ve also studied the mental state of the other gods and found that, while they might also have emotions, their emotions felt more like ‘alienation’ or using an ’emotional barrier’ kind of method. Perhaps that’s how they can master such indifference that’s independent of time. I feel that this mentality is what you need to master right now.”

Sui Xiong was silent for a while, then he said, Remember the book A Letter of Farewell to My Wife?

“Just like how a minister of Jiangzhou soaked his uniform with his tears because of the grief he felt for others, I should never forget how to show empathy after being successful in self-cultivation?”

“Yes, I can’t do it.”

“You have never tried to do it before, how will you know whether you can or can’t do it?” Crick shook his head, then said, “Just try.”

Sui Xiong thought for a moment, then suddenly he laughed and said, “What do you say. Will I do it, or not?”

Crick suddenly buckled under with his face full of frustration.

Or course he knew Sui Xiong would never do so.

In fact, he knew that he himself was merely a braggart. And just as he had said, there was no such thing as a “two-faced body” existing between him and Sui Xiong. So it was not only Sui Xiong who would refuse to do so, it was the same choice for him.

“My brilliant idea is wasted in vain!” said Crick as he breathed a long sigh. Then finally, he said angrily, “I’m like mud that can’t even help to hold up the wall, I’m such a disappointment!”

“No choice, that’s your innate nature,” Sui Xiong laughed heartily and used his tentacles to pat Crick on his shoulders. Then he came up with another topic to switch to, “Right, how come the exercise this time around is taking such a long time? It has been going on for a good half a year.”

“Mainly because the exercise is much more extensive this time. The previous exercises revolved around the elite Oracles as the core, the mass-produced Oracles only needed to follow commands. But this time, I intend to adjust my concept and shift the core over to the mass-produced Oracles. The elite Oracles will only appear as a dagger force when necessary,” Crick said. “In this way, this exercise will be of great help in effectively enhancing the combat technique of the mass-produced Oracles.”

“The mass-produced Oracles are so weak; would they be of any help?”

“Precisely because they are weak, it’ll be easy to summon them. And if their combat techniques can be enhanced, then after being summoned, they will be of a greater help,” Crick said. “For the clergymen on Earth, the mass-produced Oracles are more important than the elite Oracles!”

Sui Xiong nodded with understanding, then looked into the distance at the sun rays. There was a big tree that was growing at such a slow rate that it was almost unnoticeable to the naked eye. He asked, “That’s the altar that’s prepared for the mass-produced Oracles’ progression, right? Why is it making such slow progress?”

“There’s no other way, because the energy we need fully depends on how much of it spills out from the battle of Oracles,” Crick said. “Only then are we guaranteed the maximum degree of correspondence, and then we can increase the success rate of progression.”

“That’s how the theory works, but I can’t help feeling it’s too slow…”

“It’s not slow,” Crick said with a smile. “I reckon that when you are done with your ‘rectification movement,’ the altar on my side will be completed as well. By then, we can summon a large number of mass-produced Oracles and effectively boost the combat power of the clergymen on Earth.”

 “With the help of the Oracles, I trust that the power of the church will be greatly enhanced,” said Sui Xiong as he nodded. “When that time comes, I believe it will be a great wave of development and progress.”

“That’s for sure! Since I’ve come to this world, then I must do something—propelling it towards development and progress is simply the right role for me!”