RNP Page 247
Page 247
[However, on the other hand, although the Bone Spirit boarded without a ticket, you, as the bus, still suddenly accelerated significantly. Now that the speed has slowed down, you're subconsciously feeling a bit lost.]
[No, no way!] You quickly shook your head, determined not to let yourself degenerate into a public bus! What's the difference between that and going to the sex industry? If you keep going like this, you'll eventually become the lesbian teacher that men talk about!
You take a deep breath, clearing your mind of these strange thoughts, and begin to focus on any potential traps on the track.
At the same time, you updated the safety word to the shorter "Muda" in case of any unexpected events.
Once you're fully immersed in the racetrack, time seems to slow down. You encounter several aggressive wanderers, and also some skeletons that retain their senses and want you to take them down the mountain. However, looking at their bodies embedded in the crevices of the rocks, you can only helplessly be a passerby.
[The sudden attacks are not isolated incidents. The higher you go up the mountain, the more attacks you will encounter. Fortunately, you can dodge most of the enemies thanks to your speed advantage. As for the attacks that you can't dodge, they become useless under your "Muda Muda" skill.]
Although you haven't even reached the halfway point yet, you've already grasped the brutality of the Bone Control Competition and finally understand why not everyone manages to complete the entire mountain. After all, if you can't escape unscathed from such a dangerous situation, the challenger may not have much hope of recovering their strength until at least the next White Moon.
[Unbeknownst to you, a grayish-white "mist" begins to rise around you. When you look down, your view is completely obscured by jagged rocks, and the occasional glimpse of the ground is no longer discernible.]
You stopped paying attention to the scenery along the way; the pervasive "fog" obscured your vision, and you unconsciously slowed your pace to avoid slipping and falling into danger.
[In a fog with visibility of less than ten meters, you suddenly feel unwell. After coughing violently for a while, you spit out a mouthful of saliva containing bone fragments.]
[Only then do you realize that the surrounding mist wasn't real mist at all, but rather a stream of matter floating in the sky, composed of sand, bone fragments, and unclaimed soul power!]
You quickly put on the bone fiber mask you had bought in town, then covered it with a layer of armor before you could breathe again with peace of mind.
[Upon entering the fog, to adjust your visibility, you decide to avoid the seemingly risky terrain and remain on the rough mountain path, beginning to hone your instantaneous reaction capabilities in low visibility conditions.]
[You hadn't gone far when a spider-legged skeleton suddenly appeared slowly walking ahead. You stroked your chin, discerning from the fluctuations of its soul power that it was a skeleton possessing soul bones, not an alien species.]
You recalled your past experiences as the magical girl Urgot in the Bone Spirit Realm, and a sense of nostalgia washed over you. So you slowed your pace and observed the scene from a distance.
A short, dejected female skeletal spirit emerged from the spider-legged skeleton's body. She clasped her hands in front of her eyes, gazed at you through the thick fog for a few seconds, and then spoke:
"Do any of the fellow travelers behind have extra filter masks?"
You paused, somewhat confused as to why a skeleton without a nose or lungs would need a mask. After a moment's thought, you shouted, "Yes!"
"I'll trade you this for one," the female bone spirit said, pulling out two pairs of miniature bony spider legs. "You can attach them to your wrists; they'll help you climb vertically."
["Oh, oh..." You approached her somewhat inexplicably, maintaining a certain distance as you completed the transaction.]
"Ah, finally..." The female bone spirit was overjoyed to receive the mask and immediately put it on the skull's eye sockets. She then said gratefully, "Now I can finally get a good night's sleep. Thank you!"
You stared in disbelief as the skeleton stopped abruptly, squeezed itself into the crevice between two giant rocks, and began to doze off. The female bone spirit, seeing you pass by, waved to you from afar and returned to the skeleton's body with a sunny smile.
"What the heck..." You turned your head back, bewildered, glanced at the bony spider leg in your hand, scratched your head, and inserted it into the wrist joint of your left hand.
You were tempted to ask the bone spirit why it suddenly wanted to sleep halfway through the climb, but in the blink of an eye, you were nearly a hundred meters apart. You glanced back, but ultimately decided to keep your questions to yourself.
It's rare to meet someone on the same journey as you. Even though it's just a fleeting encounter, you suddenly realize that there are others who are still moving forward... Even if they aren't entirely confident about the destination, it's enough to lift your spirits.
With this positive mindset, you leaped back up a steeper, more challenging slope at a fork in the road. You hadn't forgotten that the purpose of this journey was to find the fastest route that best suited you; chance encounters on flat roads are ultimately just that—chance encounters.
However, after you passed several narrow rock formations, you saw another skeleton at the edge of the mountain path. Its spine was arched backwards, and the structure of its arms and legs was significantly different, making it look like a praying mantis. There was no soul power fluctuation around it, clearly indicating that it was a different species.
The mantis skeleton, which had been squatting on the ground staring blankly at the sky, became very excited upon seeing someone arrive, waving its sharp, bony hands.
A male skeletal spirit with an exceptionally long face floated out, hesitated for a moment, and asked you, "Hey buddy, got a grappling hook? We've been stuck here for a while."
Looking up, you see the next foothold is about twenty meters away. The mountainside is covered in scratches from sharp objects, indicating the mantis skeleton has tried many times.
"This isn't difficult for you. You can just jump up and use the cliff face for leverage to do a double jump," you thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Yes."
"Oh! That's wonderful!" The male bone spirit slapped the mantis skeleton with delight, then hesitated.
You couldn't help but ask curiously, "Is there any inconvenience?"
The male bone spirit hesitated for a moment, then said, "I don't seem to have anything I can offer in exchange... Ah, right!"
His illusory body floated in and out from behind the mantis skeleton's rear, until the mantis skeleton couldn't help but tremble. Only then did he stick his head out from behind the skeleton's rear, let out a sigh of relief, and said, "I'll trade you this!"
Having said that, he emerged halfway out from behind his mantis-like rear end and tossed you what he was holding. You glanced at it; it was a soul bone!
You were immediately taken aback. Where did this business genius come from, exchanging a soul bone for a disposable item!
The male bone spirit seemed to read your mind. He chuckled and told you that he had found this soul bone on a mountain path earlier. Because the mantis skeleton was a different species, it couldn't use human soul bones, so it wasn't a loss for him.
[After thinking about it, it seemed to make sense, so you simply tossed him a grappling hook and accepted the soul bone.]
[Then, you bid each other farewell without a second thought. You kicked off with zero frames, and to the astonishment of the male bone spirit, you charged straight up the cliff above. Your left hand, with its spider spear attached, plunged into the cliff edge, and you waved to him before swiftly and cleanly flipping yourself up.]
[As for this soul bone, since the male bone spirit doesn't know its exact abilities, it's essentially a blind box. Before opening it, you remotely prayed to the blind box alchemist Yashutia for a while, then immediately refined it!]
[What?! You sensed the gathering of soul power and were immediately shocked. This feeling... the Halberd of Truth has awakened within you again!]
However, upon closer inspection, you noticed the difference between this soul bone and the handle of the previous Halberd of Truth. The handle of the Halberd of Truth was an offensive soul bone, while this soul bone was auxiliary. Its ability was to move the muzzle and release an impact in the corresponding direction. The attack power was negligible, but most importantly, it could generate a reaction force.
In other words... you can now use Brother Niu to perform a double jump in mid-air.
This effect makes you feel incredibly tense, but for some reason, there's also a faint sense of pride, like "That's so true to me."
After a few minor hiccups, you resumed your rapid journey. The attacks and traps along the way could no longer stop you. You became increasingly adept at driving on this deserted track, occasionally glancing at the surrounding scenery with a hint of enjoyment.
[On the rest of the way, besides encountering a few more fellow travelers slowly making their way down, you also meet several challengers descending the mountain. They tell you they haven't reached the summit yet, but are simply conserving their energy for the actual climb.]
From their scattered accounts, you learn that once the main group embarks on the track together, the dangers along the way become significantly less. Because of the group, many potential crises are addressed by others first, and if you lose your bearings, you can follow the flow of the group, making it much safer overall.
You scratched your head. What they said made sense, but something felt off. After thinking for a while, it dawned on you: this kind of approach was just a show of climbing the mountain! There was absolutely no way you'd be the first to reach the summit and plunge into the sea of stars!
That being said, by the time you realize it, those who passed by have already left your sight, and you can no longer warn them.
You felt a sense of helplessness, but since things had come to this, you could only accept that everyone has their own fate. You cast aside a sliver of pity and continued running forward.
As the fog thickens, you become increasingly cautious about your path. The attacks you've encountered along the way have taken a toll on your bone mass, but thankfully you have Bone Snickers, so you're still at your peak condition.
Overall, your team has become very cohesive. Sai Leng can control you with pinpoint precision, almost to the point of fingertip adjustment, the instant the road conditions change. Under normal circumstances, they are almost in perfect sync with your thoughts.
[Hai Yue'er's ability to stimulate soul power through singing has also made subtle progress. Now she can stimulate and mobilize the soul power of the entire team through instantaneous volume, and can even briefly overclock your soul bone abilities. For example, with her help, your Brother Niu's double jump can be continuously activated, turning into a triple jump, a quadruple jump... although the impact on Brother Niu is a little bit greater.]
As for Lanling, you noticed her gazing at the sea of clouds during a casual glance back. The lingering colors in her eyes indicated that her heart was no longer empty. Recalling Lanling's image among the belongings left behind by the wandering team, you were surprised to find that she was actually very shy and not good at speaking... Considering her image with Tang Keke, the contrast is simply enormous.
Gradually, she started saying a word or two occasionally. However, you felt that Lanling's inner thoughts were far more complex than her outward appearance suggested. You were somewhat curious, but mostly happy for her. In your eyes, it was as if she had been resurrected from the dead—a true miracle.
As for her skills, there's no need to worry about her archery. After some practice, she's practically like she's equipped with a repeating crossbow, firing incessantly, handling both straight and curved shots with ease. Your spear is basically useless now.
[But that's fine too. Just be your bus, wholeheartedly pushing your legs to reach your destination. That's your promise to the girls.]
The long drive gradually makes you forget the passage of time. The clouds floating in the air have almost solidified, and rushing into them feels like hitting a thick barrier of bone fragments. Your body begins to be covered in scratches, and there are no more fellow challengers ahead.
[In this numbingly repetitive race, you leap onto a high boulder, and suddenly the view opens up to nothingness.]
"The thick fog dissipated?" This question popped into your mind. You turned back for a look, only to realize that it hadn't disappeared; it had simply been defeated by you.
The greyish-white clouds flowed slowly beneath your feet like an endless expanse of land. For a moment, you felt a little dazed. The journey had indeed been long, but in retrospect, it hadn't been so difficult. You longed to recite a poem like "Unfazed by the floating clouds obscuring my view," but alas, you had long forgotten those words, and now you couldn't even see how far the journey had actually been.
Your feelings were complicated. After thinking for a moment, you murmured to yourself, "These clouds are really deceptive. When I looked at them, I thought the road I came from was a smooth one."
Then, you turn to look higher, where a clean, sharp cliff edge lies not far away; beyond that, there are no other peaks in sight.
What lies at the top? Heaven? Hell? Some kind of evil gatekeeper? Or a path like a stairway to the gods?
You hesitated for a moment, then jumped straight up.
Chapter 253 The Giant Beneath the Sea
What is the place closest to the starry sky?
This is a practical problem, and for some, it may be a philosophical one.
For Latis, this was just an elementary school math problem.
As he jumped, his speed gradually decreased due to gravity. His head was the first to clear the edge of the cliff. The sudden change in scenery made him squint involuntarily. When he came to his senses, he was already standing on the summit.
At the summit...
Latis looked up at the "mountain" in front of him in the shadow cast by the unknown object, and suddenly his pupils contracted.
"That is……"
It was a gigantic, colossal skeleton, almost reaching the heavens and the earth. It sat atop a boulder of unknown height, hunched over like a statue of The Thinker, its body leaning forward, its right hand resting on its knee, supporting its chin, its empty eye sockets filled with deep shadows... Its head was so enormous that no external light could penetrate it, or rather, the light of this world was insufficient to illuminate it.
A faint buzzing sound came from the air; it was the cry for help from the wind trapped inside the giant skull. Its body was so enormous that the wind that blew into its bones was quickly extinguished before it even reached the other side.
Latis felt a strange shiver run through him, an unconscious dread caused by the suppression of his life level, like an ant that knows fear and flees in terror before a human. His body was also secretly screaming:
Run away!
"Do not……"
He took a deep breath, composed himself, overcame the shock in his heart, and took a step forward.
In the shadow of the giant skeleton, he realized that his body was not even as long as half of the skeleton's foot bone. Just this one step forward made his hair stand on end in the cold shadow, and he involuntarily stopped in his tracks.
"...That's a bit too much."
Latis muttered a complaint, stretched out his hands, rubbed the goosebumps on his arms, then lowered his hands and clenched his fists.
“Serene,” he said softly, “do you think we could defeat that skeleton if it were alive?”
Seren, who was inside Latis's body, remained silent for a moment before hesitatingly saying:
"Perhaps, with my total soul power... even controlling one of its hands wouldn't be realistic..."
"Okay, I was just asking."
Latis chuckled twice, stroked his chin, and muttered:
"Those challengers who reached the summit all returned safely, proving that they did not fight the giant skeleton, but none of them explained the specifics... Were they all intimidated?"
He hesitated for a moment, then became alert and slowly stepped forward, his body poised to strike, ready to defend himself with a safe word at any moment.
Tap tap, tap tap...
With the soft sound of hooves, the massive skeleton drew ever closer. He seemed to feel the chill in the air. The pale, somewhat rusty skeleton stood like heavy, cold iron, existing eternally and silently.
"Where exactly is the Star Sea? Is it above its head?"
Latis looked up at the giant's head, but due to the distance, he could no longer see clearly, only the chin. The skull, whose full form was obscured, seemed to have already burrowed into the starry sky, or perhaps not yet, but a voice in the darkness told Latis that as long as the giant stood up, it would surely transcend the boundaries of this world.
Is it alive?
Latis lingered a few dozen meters away from the giant for a while, then turned back and peered at the giant's empty eye sockets from a distance.
Perhaps because the giant's size was so different from his own, Latis couldn't immediately regard it as an eye socket. To a human's eyesight, the huge hole was like a cave in a mountain, and the giant's skeleton, etched by time, was like the surface of a cliff covered in dust falling in the wind. Human vision was too limited, and their attempts to understand the giant were like the blind men and the elephant.
It took Latis quite a while to discern the skull's eye sockets from this distance. He gazed at them for a moment, then, based on his understanding of skulls, walked to the spot where the gaze was most likely to focus.
"Your Mightiness!"