Chapter 60: The Advancement and Future of Intangible Heritage Objects

She looked at Chen Qing and then continued, “Some members of the Dao Court are born with extraordinary cores within them. These cores quietly consume nutrients in a hidden corner of their bodies; if they never come into contact with supernatural forces, their whole lives might just pass uneventfully. But if they do, the core begins to hatch into a worm, which then settles in the host and sends out specialized worms to various parts of the body.”

“So… their advancement depends on this?”

“The stronger the worm, the stronger they become.”

Chen Qing frowned, clear surprise and distaste on his face. “Didn’t you say that these cores gradually devour the host’s will? When they reach their peak… if they can’t be controlled—"

“What’s the difference?” Bu Zhaozhao clapped her hands, appearing rather unconcerned. “In fact, the Dao Court’s price is the lowest. They’ve lived under the influence of these worms for so long that every action they take is subtly shaped by them. Why are you so sure it’s the worm seizing the host’s body, and not the host imperceptibly influencing the worm all along?”

She took a breath, a trace of nostalgia in her eyes. “At least from what I saw back then, Dao Court members didn’t undergo significant personality changes in the latter stages. As for your question—whether it’s humans becoming gods or worms ascending—it’s the same with extraordinary relics, isn’t it? Power only cares about who wields it, not what form it takes.”

Chen Qing took a deep breath and nodded.

“What about the Alliance?”

“The Alliance… I didn’t have much contact with them. During my years at the Foundation, their power was the weakest among us. But judging from your recent battle, things seem to have improved for them.”

“Why? What is their focus of research?”

“That… I’m not too sure…” Bu Zhaozhao hesitated, uncertainty in her eyes. “It seems to be purely technological control over extraordinary powers. Some at the Foundation suggested this approach back then, but it was too slow to develop, so we dismissed it.”

“Like… cutting out a piece of your brain and replacing it with machinery, letting the machine affect you?” Chen Qing’s mouth twitched; he could hardly believe it.

“Yes, but not entirely. For example, using cutting-edge computers to brute-force the rules of the Backrooms, or using AI to forcibly control extraordinary relics. Still, when I left after being harmed, their progress remained sluggish.”

Hearing this, Chen Qing couldn’t help but gasp inwardly. If that was the case, it was no wonder the Alliance’s power had risen so dramatically in recent times. It was as if the entire human society was aiding their advancement—well, it certainly lived up to their title.

“Has the Alliance produced a god before?”

Bu Zhaozhao shook her head. “I don’t know about the past two centuries, but back then, they hadn’t.”

Chen Qing understood and asked, “Since you say that when power reaches its utmost limit, it’s called divinity… Have you ever wondered where all these powers originate?”

Bu Zhaozhao smiled, evidently satisfied with his question. “According to our understanding, all extraordinary powers, taboos, and rules originate from a group of ancient beings. They were so powerful that fragments of their existence, once described or recorded, became taboos and rules. As a result, no objective record of them could ever be passed down in human civilization. But what we can be certain of is this: whether it’s the Backrooms, extraordinary relics, or even entities in the Backrooms, all were influenced by some higher-dimensional beings—or gods, if you will.”

“You also said… the power of gods is too great. To face them directly…”

“You’ll lose control, go mad.” She looked at Chen Qing, as if she’d anticipated his words. “Don’t worry—you, with your small frame, could never become an Old God. What you grew before, we call a descendant. It’s a race influenced by the Old Gods, granted a fleeting moment of their gaze. They are, we believe, evidence that the world was once touched by the Old Gods.”

Chen Qing inhaled sharply and nodded. If that was the case, it explained why Jiang Wan lost control and the excruciating pain he himself had felt.

“And you? After saying all this, how are you planning to leave here with me?”

Bu Zhaozhao waved her hand dismissively. “When it’s time to go, I’ll give you a relic capable of carrying me. That’s not important.” She pointed to Chen Qing’s chest and continued, “What matters now is how to evolve your three relics.”

Chen Qing nodded, understanding, and heard Bu Zhaozhao call for him to place them on the table. As he laid them out one by one, Bu Zhaozhao’s expression grew more solemn.

She pointed to the first item, the human skin mask, and asked, “This relic… its ability is to alter appearance, right? After it advances, would you prefer it to have more combat abilities, or remain as pure support?”

Chen Qing gazed at the mask, pondering for a moment before replying, “No need to add combat power. Its full simulation is already quite useful to me. It’s perfect as it is.”

Bu Zhaozhao grinned and shook her head. “There are plenty of relics with full simulation abilities, like the E-level relic—Altar Dagger. By stabbing someone, it can strip their skin and disguise the user as the victim. But unlike your relic, it doesn’t give the user the target’s logical thinking. So you should consider which aspect you want to enhance.”

After some consideration, Chen Qing finally raised his head. “I hope to gain not only the target’s logic but also some of their memories. And if possible, slow down the process by which my thinking changes—at least let me keep control until I take the mask off.”

Bu Zhaozhao nodded, took a clipboard from behind her, and began to write.

“Two possible advancement paths: First—get the target’s logic and short-term memory, but with a negative effect: the simulated target may also acquire some of the user’s memories. Second—get the target’s logic and short-term memory, but the logic is much weaker, and the memories are mixed with scattered historical fragments, increasing the risk of memory pollution and making it easier to forget who you are.”

Chen Qing didn’t hesitate. “The second one.”

“Then you’ll need the Eavesdropper’s Ear, a secret undetectable by others, and the stamen of a Blood Mist Flower. You must conduct the advancement ritual under a full moon, in a room that was once used for prayer.”

Chen Qing nodded. Just as he was about to ask about the materials, Bu Zhaozhao spoke first, “Except for the secret and the location, I can prepare the rest for you. The materials aren’t of high rank. As for your second relic… your mirror…”

She frowned, examining it for a long time before glancing at Chen Qing. “I don’t recommend advancing this relic. It’s a derivative.”

Chen Qing was surprised but accepted her reasoning, curiosity evident in his voice. “Why?”

“High-grade relics are unique. If you advance this one, you could draw the original relic’s hostility. I don’t mind if you try, but…”

Chen Qing nodded. In other words, after the advancement, only one relic of that ‘name’ can exist. To advance, he’d have to eliminate the original. But the owner wouldn’t just stand by and let him do it. In this situation, better to play it safe and grow stronger first.

“I’m still too weak.”

Bu Zhaozhao chuckled. “Don’t worry. In this bizarre and supernatural world, the power of knowledge is far greater than you imagine. You’ll catch up to them soon enough.”

Chen Qing nodded without replying, though clearly he had other plans in mind.

Bu Zhaozhao’s eyes now fell on the wooden awl.

“As for this relic…” She paused, curiosity on her face. “I think I’ve seen it before. How did it get out… and… why is it so much weaker?”

“Oh?” Chen Qing was surprised. “What do you mean? I took it from a middleman at a club—a regular person.”

Bu Zhaozhao frowned in confusion. “What has happened over the years…”

She shook her head, dismissing her thoughts, and continued, “As for this one, there’s only one advancement path needed—it can reach a very high level, no need to calculate any further. Unfortunately, I don’t have the advancement materials now… We’ll discuss it once we’re out.”

Chen Qing didn’t quite understand and had many questions, but he nodded, not pressing the issue just yet.

“How did it get out… and end up so weak…”

Bu Zhaozhao muttered under her breath, then pulled a pendant from the shadows behind her and tossed it to Chen Qing.

“Wear this, and you’ll be able to take me with you. Once you leave here, you’ll only see me if you can see the pendant. Make sure to hide it under your clothes.”

Chen Qing nodded and gathered the relics into his arms.

When a burst of light illuminated the bunker and faded away, Jiang Wan reappeared before him. Seeing Chen Qing, her face lit up with joy and a hint of nervousness. She approached, finally breathing a sigh of relief when she saw he was unharmed.

“What’s wrong?”

She shook her head, struggling to find the words. “No, it’s just… I read some data about the extraordinary world. It was… overwhelming.”

She sighed, and as they conversed, she and Chen Qing headed outside. By the time they reached the riverbank, the old man was still there, but the young woman was gone. In her place was a pool of blood, and the handcuffs had been violently broken. Clearly, she hadn’t left on her own.

Chen Qing thought for a moment, stepped forward to collect some of the blood, tucked it away, and then returned the way they had come with Jiang Wan.

The next morning marked Chen Qing’s third day inside the office building. He’d come out in the early hours of the previous day, slept for a full day, and was only now beginning to recover from his exhaustion.

Jiang Wan seemed to have returned to her duties. Two days’ disappearance was serious, if not the most severe, especially since someone had already reported her.

After a day’s rest, Chen Qing hesitated but decided to return to his campus life.

After all the fighting and witnessing so many deaths, he found that a peaceful life really was the most hopeful prospect of all.