Volume Two: Taking a Quest Chapter 18: Gains, Losses, and New Realizations

The tumultuous chaos of the Underworld Mountain finally drew to a close.

With the mountains and seas now at peace, Chen Chen descended the heights, carrying with him the enlightenment unique to those who walk the path of the mountains and seas. On his way down, he inevitably crossed paths with the group of bandits he had encountered earlier. Seeing them, Chen Chen knew they had come to settle scores. Having resolved the matters of the Underworld Mountain, his mind was clear of other concerns. Regarding his cultivation and strength, he could now focus more intently on his techniques and personal grievances.

Chen Chen was quite adept at humbling others, especially those of crooked character who forced the virtuous into vice. Sometimes, he would deliver a sharp blow to vent his frustration, particularly against those who engaged in petty theft or illicit carnal dealings—behaviors that shamed humanity itself. Chen Chen felt that if he struck hard and fast enough, he could wake them from their slumber and salvage their decaying, fallen souls.

"Chen Chen, I've tolerated you long enough. Today, I've brought the big boss of my Almighty Gang—my leader—to trade a few blows with you. Don't be ungrateful; usually, our leader rarely deigns to make a move, but he's making an exception today just for you," the second-in-command of the bandits said, spitting on the ground as if he were certain of Chen Chen’s defeat. Having roamed the underworld for years, he had seen many things in his time.

"The Almighty Gang—the name sounds impressive. But does your conduct truly reflect the stature of the mighty? Is your strength worthy of that title, and does your organization possess the demeanor a true powerhouse should have?" Chen Chen asked, word by word. His resonant, forceful tone made even the leader of the Almighty Gang feel uneasy.

"Boss, fight him, fight him! Push back, curse him..." Encouraged by his underlings, the leader of the Almighty Gang felt out of his depth. He had never met Chen Chen before and held no real grudge; he was only here to back his subordinate. Lacking a quick wit, the bandit leader stammered for a long time, unable to formulate a comeback.

"Enough. I have long admired the strength of your Almighty Gang and the many experts within your ranks. It is only because your recent actions lacked that grandeur that I spoke a few words to your brother. Do not take it to heart. I have no quarrel with you, so let us not come to blows over this," Chen Chen said. In a daze, he recalled that before his arrival, Chen Fan had also encountered another gang of bandits near the ancient city of Qingfeng. Back then, there had been another leader, another second-in-command, and a different story—a different plot, a different set of grievances, and different interests. But the bandits of the Almighty Gang today were not those men from the past.

Thinking of this, Chen Chen added, "Honestly, I was once a leader too. Though not of your Almighty Gang, I was a 'lone commander' under the Plane Enforcer. Let us shake hands and call a truce. Go back and tell your brother not to take it to heart, okay?" Having said this, Chen Chen patted the leader on the shoulder, completing this meeting in his capacity as a leader among the Plane Enforcers. After a brief conversation, both men felt the weight of being a leader.

Chen Chen walked away with his sword on his back. As he passed the second-in-command, the man wanted to say something, but Chen Chen didn't care to engage. It wasn't that he was unwilling to fight, but the hour was late. Once night fell on the Underworld Mountain, it became eerie. With so many malevolent spirits, trouble was bound to follow, and he didn't want to spark a riot he wouldn't know how to end. Chen Chen did not fear entities beyond the Three Realms and Six Paths, but these beings might have been the ancestors of others, and it was unwise to offend them. When they were alive, they had left behind descendants. To put it bluntly, they were someone else's ancestors, and forming bad karma with such existences and their kin was unwise.

Having tidied up the mess left by Chen Fan, Chen Chen descended the mountain with ease. The second-in-command, still harboring resentment, called out, "Wait! Did you steal any treasures from the mountain tombs on your way up?"

"Honestly, I did not," Chen Chen replied, pointing with interest toward some silver scattered on the mountain. "These things were already there when I passed by; they are not things I brought out."

Chen Chen glanced above the pile of silver. Coincidentally, the aura of the restless dead, shrouded in the evil atmosphere of the Underworld Mountain, had just spread to that spot. Chen Chen knew what gold and silver were; when he was in the novice village, he had relied on silver to get by. Back then, he had earned it through his own hard work by completing tasks.

"Fine. It is possible someone else, who didn't know any better, dug these up. Third, hurry up and return this silver to the tombs. Don't miss the auspicious hour," the second-in-command said, casting a meaningful look at the masked third-in-command. Those who drift through the world know many rules, and the second-in-command of the Almighty Gang had some sense.

The third-in-command was reluctant. He had brought these items out of the mountain himself, and returning them pained him.

"Third, do as he says!" the leader of the Almighty Gang barked, his voice rough and gravelly. That hoarseness sounded like a past battle over human nature, a struggle between life and death where only immense capability could maintain order. Human greed often leads to defeat. The possessions of the dead are stained with too much of the tomb owner's past. The owner had truly toiled and suffered to accumulate that wealth. That heavy collection did not belong to no one; it had both living and dead masters.

Chen Chen left. He knew he would not see the final choice of the Almighty Gang, but he knew this was a test of human nature. There are no free lunches in the world; other people’s treasures will always remain their own. There are many methods to conjure things from nothing, but when facing life-and-death struggles, when one needs to prepare money to meet the needs of life, one must choose: have you prepared in advance, or were you lazy, waiting until the last moment to scramble?

There were too many difficult choices in life. Chen Chen didn't even look back as he walked away. It was as if such a decision were not worthy of his recognition, nor could it support the role Chen Chen played.

He had descended the mountain early; this place was not meant for lingering. To stay was to invite the trouble of being among ghosts. When the members of the Almighty Gang finally came down from the mountain, Chen Chen saw that their arms were full, each of them clutching something. They were counting on their own connections to use that wealth to survive their current predicament. Chen Chen said nothing; from their choices, he gained some insight. He had his own guesses about the origins of the silver he had earned in the novice village.

Chen Chen simply smiled, waved at them, and walked away. Every member of the Almighty Gang who had touched the wealth accumulated by the tomb owners now had a shadow of misfortune hanging over their heads. Some destinies are earned through one's own efforts. Some wealth, if acquired, brings with it a corresponding burden. Chen Chen did not know how long these gang members would live; he only knew that the struggle between the living and the dead was about to begin again.

The gains and losses of human integrity are never truly empty. Even if one is as poor as a church mouse, one’s integrity remains a source of pride—the most genuine reliance. Such people are shrewd; the earth they walk remains vast, and their vigilance for survival remains intact. Do not take what is not yours. Such actions often lead people to mistakenly believe they are wealthy, thinking that because the problem of lacking money is solved, they no longer need to work hard or struggle to provide for themselves. Over time, when the money is spent, they remain paupers. Then, their human nature yields to circumstances, and they return to illegal trades—rather than using the time when they were poor to work hard, accumulate wealth, and resolve the existential crises they would inevitably face.

Chen Chen was not foolish enough to fall into that trap, so he walked away. When he returned to Qingfeng City, he still had some of the universal currency he had exchanged from the others. He found an inn to stay in and calculated his gains and losses. The currency in his hand had once been silver, representing his past efforts elsewhere. Here in Qingfeng City, the silver had been converted into the city's universal currency through another channel. This was a deduction of the Great Dao; in every gain and loss, there is enlightenment. In the journey of life, everyone has the right to accumulate experience and find their own path.

After settling his accommodation, Chen Chen found a place to buy some simple food. It was not a luxurious meal; he simply made do with what he could find to sustain his life. Having finished his business in the ancient city of Qingfeng, he had completed the transitional task of his arrival. As for whether to stay or go, Chen Chen had his own considerations. The tasks of the novice village had become a thing of the past. Having completed them, he was no longer a novice.

As for the final reporting of his tasks, he found the task organizers in the ancient city of Qingfeng to wrap things up. He went to the Mercenary Guild of Qingfeng City, turned in his tasks, but did not collect the reward money. Months ago, Chen Fan had also been in this place, experiencing the process of taking and submitting tasks. But at this moment, Chen Chen had more important matters to attend to. He lingered in Qingfeng City; this was the second stop on his journey to this new land.

This place had provided him with great convenience. He needed to live out his life and fulfill his mission in this city that had welcomed him so well.