IMC Chapter 34

Fu Qing didn’t understand where Shu Bao’s delusion came from, but unexpectedly, Shu Bao’s words resonated with the viewers in the live stream.

“I have to say, well done!”

“Hahaha, I’ve been wanting to say that. Boss Qing’s skills are great and he looks good too, just has a big mouth.”

“Finally, someone said it. But it seems like Boss Qing doesn’t realize that his way of speaking is quite irritating.”

“Rubbing my hands in anticipation. We’re about to unveil a part of the Chaotic World!”

“I just want to see Shu Bao’s reaction when his true identity is exposed and how Fu Qing will react.”

With time, the popularity of Shu Bao and Fu Qing’s live stream had remained high. Their unexpected encounter further boosted the stream’s popularity, especially since Fu Qing had actively approached the human form of Shu Bao. These two, who had initially been at odds, were now collaborating and planning an impromptu new world adventure.

More and more viewers tuned in, eager to see both the appearance of the Chaotic World and the chemistry between a lucky person and a no-nonsense powerhouse.

At the camp of the Nan Ming Legion, based on the information bought from the bar owner and the Legion’s knowledge of the Chaotic Swamp, they mapped out a route into the swamp.

“Currently, we need to pay extra attention to the Marsh Crocodile Zone and the Swamp Insect Zone. Considering the time, this is the most suitable route,” said a man with purple hair from the Nan Ming Legion as he analyzed the route map.

The team nodded in agreement with this route. The route chosen by the Nan Ming Legion was not the shortest but avoided several heavily dangerous areas. Although this would delay them somewhat, it significantly increased safety.

As for the Marsh Crocodile Zone and the Swamp Insect Zone, due to their large areas and the high time cost of detours, the Legion decided to risk crossing them.

In such situations, the benefits of a strong team became apparent. Not only did they have detailed information, but they also had enough talent to handle various tricky problems in the Chaotic Swamp, maximizing their safety.

Originally, the Nan Ming Legion planned to rest before continuing. But when they saw the other two teams setting up camp nearby and sending personnel to the bar, they realized the urgency of the operation.

“It’s the Empire and the Lan Zhou teams,” Zhou Yi said with a slight frown.

“Pack up. We’re leaving immediately,” Nan Ming ordered. The others quickly sprang into action, clearing the camp and setting out under the cover of night within three minutes.

The two other forces watching the Nan Ming Legion depart were not hurried. They appeared confident, even somewhat contemptuous.

The Chaotic World lacks daylight, but there are still temperature variations. People use the alternating cold and heat to define a day. This might not be entirely accurate, but the inhabitants of the Chaotic World do not concern themselves too much with the exact consistency of daily time.

At this moment, it was a cooler night, the time when monsters in the Chaotic World were most active. With the help of the cat’s eye necklace, Shu Bao could clearly see the various monsters emerging from the darkness. This was far more exciting than defending a base; here, three-headed snakes and bucket frogs seemed quite normal.

Shu Bao even saw a massive, human-shaped creature, as large as a small house, crouched in the distance. It was scraping something off the ground with its hands. After seemingly grabbing whatever it was, it directly stuffed it into its mouth.

As they advanced to a higher slope, Shu Bao looked out and saw even more gigantic monsters. There were colossal trees so tall they obscured the sky, with their tops hidden from view. Shadows of various flying creatures swept across the sky, and groups of migratory creatures appeared like small mountains…

Apart from these enormous and eye-catching creatures, Shu Bao also saw many wondrous things. As Duan Zhuo had mentioned earlier, in the Chaotic World, sources of light are extremely rare and precious. Here, bioluminescent creatures appear to be beautifully captivating.

The trees covered in cherry blossoms were shedding petals, each one glowing with a soft pink light, making the entire tree look as if it were draped in a layer of pink gossamer.

There were glowing vines, flying phoenix-tail birds, and tiny, adorable hummingbirds, resembling little sprites with semi-transparent wings. These luminescent beings, set against the backdrop of deep darkness, shone like gems.

As the team advanced, Shu Bao felt a sense of overwhelming wonder. Perhaps only such a richly colorful world could give rise to magic.

“Are you new to the Chaotic World?” Nan Ming, seemingly possessing night vision or some form of perception, led the group to avoid the obviously dangerous creatures. In this monster-infested world, the team moved like a line of ants through the territories of various formidable and bizarre chaotic beings.

Seeing Shu Bao and Fu Qing’s expressions of curiosity, Nan Ming quickly understood the reason. Upon entering the Chaotic World, apart from its harshness, one could indeed find places that resembled fairylands. These were among the few places where people clung to hope.

“Yes, I just arrived three days ago,” Shu Bao answered honestly.

Fu Qing’s answer was less specific, “I’ve also just arrived and don’t know much about it.”

“That’s alright. You’ll have plenty of time to learn. After all, getting in is easy, but getting out is the difficult part,” said Zhou Yi with a note of reflection.

“Has no one ever managed to leave?” Shu Bao asked curiously. Wasn’t Duan Zhuo adamant that as long as a spaceship passed by, it would be possible to leave?

“Where there are cracks, the cracks will only grow larger, like black holes. Eventually, the Chaotic World will devour the entire universe. Even if one temporarily escapes to a habitable planet without cracks, with the fall of dark meteors, it too will eventually fall,” Nan Ming spoke in a remarkably calm tone, detailing this terrifying and hopeless situation.

It was not hard to understand that the “cracks” Nan Ming referred to were likely places where light and darkness intersected, like the Black Stones. “Is there no solution? Why has the universe become like this?”

Shu Bao’s question was one that everyone shared: Why has the universe become like this? Is it the primordial chaos from the universe’s birth, or the impending chaos of its demise?

“This is a common question for those living in the Chaotic World. It is the ultimate puzzle everyone wants to solve. Our struggle to survive is driven by the hope that one day we can discover the reason and find a solution,” Nan Ming said, his voice finally showing a hint of emotion—a defiance against fate.

As they continued their journey, Shu Bao observed Nan Ming’s team navigating through the territories of various powerful chaotic creatures and dealing with occasional chaotic beasts that attacked. With Nan Ming’s protective presence, the team didn’t encounter any particularly tricky situations. Fu Qing and Shubao didn’t even have the chance to lend a hand.

Though not a social butterfly, Shu Bao managed to familiarize himself with the members of Nan Ming’s team. As a newcomer eager for knowledge, Shu Bao had questions about everything he saw. Given that Nan Ming’s team had a positive impression and expectations from Ning Zhi’s earlier divination, they were generous with their answers.

Through these interactions, Shu Bao gradually understood the basics of the Chaotic World. Just as Lan Qing had previously speculated, there were indeed humans in the Chaotic World, and there were quite a few of them. Unlike the isolated planets in the outer universe, this world is a vast, interconnected entity.

No one knows exactly how large this space is. The creatures here, including humans, have long lifespans. Perhaps the desire for immortality is deeply ingrained in humanity, so in this mystical world created by mental consciousness, ordinary humans can live up to a thousand years.

For mages, knights, psychics, and mutants, lifespans are even longer. As a result, people in this world rarely worry about time, as they are more likely to die from various accidents before reaching the upper limit of their lifespan.

“There are indeed people who have managed to escape. Ironically, most of them are considered outcasts and, under various forms of exclusion and even attack, end up back in the Chaotic World. It’s as if once you step into the darkness, even if you return to the light, others will still see you as dark.”

Ning Zhi, the diviner in the team, was the one who spoke these words. She was a very emotional young woman. Influenced by her own talents, she had her own views and understanding of the Chaotic World and the universe. Although her emotions were quite volatile, she was very enthusiastic and warm-hearted.

After about two hours of travel, Shu Bao began to learn about the well-known organizations in the Chaotic World. At that moment, Shu Bao suddenly felt the humidity in the air increase dramatically. The air itself seemed to grow thicker and more viscous.

Shu Bao asked curiously, “Are we nearing the swamp? It feels like it’s going to rain.”

Upon hearing this, the team suddenly stopped. Nan Ming looked at Shu Bao with some surprise. “What did you say?”

“I feel the humidity increasing. It seems like it’s going to rain,” Shu Bao said, somewhat puzzled. Wasn’t this a noticeable change in humidity that everyone else could feel?

The group looked at each other, then all turned to Nan Ming. Nan Ming glanced around and said, “Let’s find a place to take shelter.”

The team immediately followed orders. They quickly found a large-leafed lotus tree, named so because its leaves resembled lotus leaves. The leaves were so large that when spread out, they could cover a small room.

Everyone quickly took shelter under the lotus tree’s leaves and waited in silence.

After a moment, the sky remained unchanged. One person from the team finally couldn’t hold back and asked, “Did we make a mistake? We can’t afford to waste any more time. The Empire and Lan Zhou will surely take the quickest route.”

Nan Ming looked back at Shu Bao. “Do you have something to say?”

“Yes!” Shu Bao couldn’t resist his curiosity and asked, “Does Lan Zhou sell ramen?”

Everyone: “…”

Sensing their confusion, Shubao quickly added, “Sorry, it was just a reflex. I’m sure people from Earth understand this kind of impulse.”

Shu Bao cleared his throat. “I did notice a sudden change in humidity. I thought it was quite noticeable.” He looked at the others, seeking confirmation.

Unfortunately, everyone shook their heads, including Fu Qing, who felt nothing unusual about the change in humidity.

Just as everyone began to doubt whether Shu Bao’s sensing was incorrect, it started to rain.

In the Chaotic World, the temperature of the rain is unpredictable. Shu Bao had already learned about the hot rain, but what he couldn’t understand was why, in addition to the hot rain, there were also ice knives falling!

Indeed, the extremely cold raindrops had crystallized into sharp ice blades during their descent from the high altitude. Combined with their high falling speed, these ice blades would quickly pierce into the ground upon impact.

Shu Bao watched in horror as the world outside the lotus tree’s leaves turned into a meat grinder. Creatures caught in the rain had their flesh and blood instantly turned to mush. Plants that hadn’t yet matured to withstand the icy rain were quickly reduced to mere fodder.

Instinctively, Shu Bao and Fu Qing moved further under the shelter. What other horrors could this terrifying world reveal?

The two, shaken, looked up. Fortunately, the lotus tree’s thick, coarse leaves provided protection against the ice rain; otherwise, their group would have been in grave danger.

The hailstorm of ice blades lasted for half an hour. By the time it ended, the ice blades that had struck the ground had melted into water. Now, everyone could feel the change in humidity, with the air now also filled with a heavy, metallic scent of blood.

“I’ve heard that some people with special abilities can sense things in the Chaotic World that ordinary people cannot. I never imagined it was true!” Ning Zhi couldn’t help but get excited, reaching out to offer Shu Bao a free divination.

Fearing exposure of his true identity as someone from the present world, Shu Bao reluctantly declined the offer. He felt that he was not a gifted individual but rather just a treasure-seeking mouse with an instinctive sensitivity to environmental changes.

These rare treasures and precious materials almost always grow in harsh environments. The reason why a treasure-seeking mouse like Shu Bao can always find them, besides good luck, is its instinctive sensitivity to the environment.

“The reason why professions like apothecaries, beast tamers, cultivators, and blacksmiths are so alluring is because of their innate talents that cannot be acquired later. Shu Bao, you must also be a special talent!” Although rejected, Ning Zhi was still very confident in her assessment.

When Shu Bao heard he was being compared to an apothecary, he immediately nodded, “Yes, I am a special talent!” No matter what, he couldn’t lose face, especially not to that weirdo Duan Zhuo!

“Really?”

“You’re an apothecary?”

“You’ve only been here for three days, right?”

“I believe you!”

Shu Bao’s claim successfully piqued the interest of the Nan Ming Legion. The crowd immediately started asking questions. There was no helping it—each type of special talent was highly sought after, and even one person could change the power dynamics in a region.

Just like the Empire and Lan Zhou they encountered earlier—one is the family of beast tamers, and the other is founded by top apothecaries. The Empire has numerous terrifying chaotic creatures at its disposal, while Lan Zhou is backed by various magical potions.

In the Chaotic Swamp region, Nan Ming was somewhat well-known. However, compared to these two behemoths, they were far less influential.

With the news of the dragon eggs, it was likely that all the major forces nearby would get involved. They were not the strongest; they could only rely on the advantage of having received the information first and rushing over as quickly as possible.

Facing the eager faces of the crowd, Shu Bao was suddenly at a loss. While he could barely be considered a cultivator, he had just entered the adult stage and still couldn’t fly, which would be quite embarrassing to admit.

Suddenly, Shu Bao felt a furry touch on his shoulder, as a small kitten sleepily yawned.

Shu Bao’s eyes lit up instantly, and he picked up the cat. “That’s right! I am a beast tamer!”

The small kitten abruptly picked up had its yawn cut short, causing its eyes to become watery. Despite this, it still cooperated with Shu Bao, showing its tiny milk teeth and making a fierce-sounding “meow”. However, due to its tiny size, the sound was significantly muted, almost resembling a pouting demand for fish treats.

The members of the Nan Ming Legion stared in silence, clearly unimpressed.

Shu Bao, feeling awkward, wondered why he hadn’t taught the cat to roar like a tiger before leaving.

As the saying goes, the most terrifying thing is sudden silence. Seeing this, Fu Qing decided to step in to help out his beautiful friend. With his abilities, he could barely be considered a talent, though perhaps not a special one. Still, it was better than letting Shu Bao bear the brunt alone. “Well, I…”

Shu Bao, nodding emphatically while patting Fu Qing’s shoulder, responded, “That’s right. You’re now a friend of a special talent!”

Fu Qing: “…” No, the fiercely competitive butterfly didn’t mean it like that! But never mind, now isn’t the time to argue about it.

After the ice rain stopped, the group continued their journey. With both Shu Bao and Nan Ming’s assurances, their progress was much faster. Soon, they reached the edge of the Chaotic Swamp.

Standing on relatively solid ground, Shu Bao looked out over the endless swampland ahead. The trees there were very much in line with the swamp’s characteristics—each one uglier than the last, most of them with barren tops and no leaves. The bare branches swayed in the darkness, reaching out to capture any nearby creatures.

“That’s a marsh cypress, a carnivorous plant. However, after it catches prey, it goes into a dormant state and won’t move again until it has digested its meal,” Nan Ming instructed the group while handing out potions to counteract the swamp’s noxious miasma and explaining the common creatures of the Chaotic Swamp to Shu Bao and Fu Qing.

“Besides the marsh cypress, the Chaotic Swamp also has some notable creatures, such as the Omniscient Fruit, glowing plankton, Black Marsh Crocodiles, Lantern Lotus, Rain Maidens, and Green Lotus Deer. These are all quite valuable.”

Upon hearing this, Shu Bao couldn’t help but ask, “Are there reeds in the swamp?”

“Yes, they’re everywhere,” Ning Zhi answered from the side.

Relieved, Shu Bao decided to gather ten reeds once they entered the swamp to use for the construction of his magical plantation’s blueprint.

As they entered the swamp area, the ground beneath their feet noticeably became softer. It felt quite precarious, as though stepping down could result in sinking. Moreover, as they ventured deeper, dry ground became scarcer. In some areas, they had to wade through water.

The group navigated around the swamp, avoiding areas where purple bubbles constantly bubbled up and steering clear of stagnant pools emitting a foul odor.

During this time, they also had to deal with the swamp creatures that pounced on them. Compared to the creatures outside, those in the swamp had a more decayed appearance, with most of them in dull grayish colors. It was unclear whether this was due to being covered in silt or a necessity for survival.

After navigating through a particularly challenging section of the swamp, they finally reached a somewhat solid piece of land. This area resembled a small island, with a rare presence of normal trees growing on it.

However, as soon as they set foot on the island, they were met with an attack from the native inhabitants—a group of frogs the size of washbasins. After a brief skirmish, the frogs were defeated by various magical attacks and jumped back into the swamp to escape.

“Let’s set up camp here,” Nan Ming decided after hours of traveling and with the temperature expected to rise soon.

The group quickly set up their tents and scattered some insect-repellent and odor-neutralizing powders and potions around the area before settling down to rest.

From this, Shu Bao learned that techniques using Hidden Orchid for concealment were not common. This was because Hidden Orchid was difficult to gather; unless one was an apothecary or knew the exact location where Hidden Orchid grew, it was nearly impossible to obtain.

As for apothecaries, they were naturally attuned to magical plants and, it was said, could even determine a plant’s properties and the best combinations just by touching them. Of course, the members of Nan Ming’s Legion had only heard of this and had not seen it firsthand.

After everything was set up, everyone began eating the prepared food. Along the way, they had been using glowing orbs controlled by Nan Ming for illumination. These orbs provided ample light to illuminate their surroundings without attracting too many creatures.

Nan Ming was a light mage, a role highly valued in the Chaotic World because his skills dealt extra damage to chaotic creatures. He could also heal, provide light, and even purify. It was no wonder he could establish a formidable group like the Nan Ming Legion.

“You’re really amazing!” Shu Bao praised sincerely. If Shu Bao hadn’t been mistaken for a deity upon landing, he wouldn’t have dared to say he could build a tribe himself.

“It’s just necessity,” Nan Ming replied calmly but appreciated Shu Bao’s compliment.

Sitting nearby, Fu Qing puffed out his chest and looked at Shu Bao expectantly.

Shu Bao observed for a while and then, with realization, gave a thumbs-up to his attractive friend. “Your outfit looks really great!”

Fu Qing: “???” He looked down at himself, covered in mud.

Shu Bao continued, “It really matches your mustache and cape.”

Fu Qing: “???” He was even more confused.

Fu Qing couldn’t quite grasp Shu Bao’s genuine compliment. Just as he was trying to comprehend it, a fierce beast’s howl suddenly echoed from the sky. Everyone instinctively looked up and saw a bright light source above. Compared to Nan Ming Legion, which had only one light orb, every flying creature above had its own light source, creating the appearance of a constellation passing through the sky.

Though the figures were too distant to make out clearly, it was evident that the numerous flying creatures were undoubtedly controlled by the Empire.

Originally, the Nan Ming Legion members were merely slightly disappointed at being overtaken, but they soon realized the problem: such a grand display would undoubtedly attract a large number of flying creatures.

The flying creatures controlled by the Empire were often extremely fast or exceptionally fierce, so the raptors usually stayed behind the main group.

Once they realized they couldn’t catch up with the Empire, these creatures would turn to attack other visible targets, such as the group below.

As the Empire’s flying team moved on, a large number of dark, ominous flying creatures arrived. At a glance, Shu Bao felt as if he were staring at a vast swarm of locusts.

---