Yama Reborn-Chapter 504 - 501 "Bonds

Chapter 501: Bonds

"So, Zero... has basically become immortal? Living forever in the timeline before the year 2002?"

Chen Nuo suddenly felt it was somewhat absurd.

If one is pursuing a four-dimensional height, then... isn’t eternal life already achieved? Isn’t that enough?

He could leap freely through the timeline before the year 2002, at any point in time, with any identity, in any way of existence.

Isn’t this just...

"This is still not four-dimensional," the Gray Cat sighed. "It looks a lot like four-dimensional, but it’s actually not. At most, you could say it’s pseudo-four-dimensional."

"Hmm?"

"Fake is fake. It’s like putting oneself into an eternal box, but this box also becomes the cage that confines it. Unless it truly breaks through, it can never escape this cage."

Chen Nuo seriously pondered this concept.

According to this hypothesis, then Zero’s life form is pseudo-four-dimensional, or rather, a form of pseudo-immortality.

Specifically:

Assuming Zero was born in 1981 and died in 2002.

Then it could live forever between 1981 and 2002.

At the moment of its death in 2002, it could use Time Retrospection to return to any point in time before 2002, and then exist there.

As long as the point it jumps back to is before the year 2002, there would be no problem.

"Or, let’s make an even more outrageous comparison," the Gray Cat shook its paw—which made it look like a beckoning cat.

However, despite the comical gesture, what the cat said was no joke.

"Let’s say it’s a long-distance race.

Zero has fallen behind, and it looks like you, the opponent, have already crossed the finish line—it can’t catch up with you.

But, it can prevent the race from ending, right?

As long as it never crosses the finish line, the long-distance race never ends!

Under these circumstances, with the race not ending..."

"But it can’t win," Chen Nuo frowned.

"No, there’s still a chance, albeit a theoretical one," the Gray Cat looked at Chen Nuo and smiled. "What if you—the opponent who has already crossed the finish line—suddenly dies?

What if the opponent who has crossed the finish line suddenly declares they give up the race?

What if the opponent who has crossed the finish line goes mad and beats up the referees on site?

It’s ludicrous, bizarre... but... as long as the race does not end, it hasn’t truly lost.

Then the final champion wouldn’t be you!"

Chen Nuo understood!

Zero couldn’t kill me directly... It could only use various behind-the-scenes, remotely controlled, pre-arranged methods to hinder my progress, trapping me here, preventing the race from stopping.

And then... as long as I chose not to evolve...

Then...

Maybe Zero found a way to evolve in the era before 2002, in the age where it was immortal. Then it would win.

Chen Nuo looked at Yun Yin, whom he had knocked out—this woman was another stumbling block that Zero had set for him!

Okay, Chen Nuo also felt a bit helpless in his heart.

If he had the chance to face Zero again, he really wanted to shout at the guy.

"You’re afraid I will evolve into a four-dimensional being first... but damn it, up to now, I still don’t know how to evolve into a four-dimensional being!"

The method for evolving into a Four-Dimensional Life, Chen Nuo had only heard of once. It was in the world created from his memory copy, in that place in Antarctica, where the memory’s copy, Seed, had informed him.

The method was... for him to consume Seed.

But this had two conditions.

The first was that Seed had to be willing to be consumed by him—otherwise, with Chen Nuo’s current strength, he would only be effortlessly defeated by Seed.

The second was even more peculiar: that was his past self! His Pure three-dimensional state of life.

And now, he was a three-dimensional being resulting from a voluntary downgrade from a Four-Dimensional Life. It’s actually hard to say what his life form truly is.

Maybe... committing suicide wouldn’t lead to death at all, but a direct breakthrough instead.

Chen Nuo suddenly had a thought!

If it’s about setting traps...

Zero had set so many traps for him.

How could it possibly not target Seed?

After all, Seed was also the key to his own evolution!

「In the supermarket」

Standing beside the shelves, Seed looked helplessly at the little girl Fox pushing the shopping cart in front of him.

"Honestly, we’re raising a pig at home—should I remind you of this fact?" Seed said with a helpless smile as he massaged his temples.

Fox turned around, her face bearing the stubborn and rebellious smile characteristic of kids her age. "So what?"

"So what are you doing with such a big bag of dog food? It’s even discounted, and seems to be nearing its expiration date."

Fox looked at Seed, saying earnestly, "I’ve heard that pigs are omnivores, so our Corot should eat anything, right?"

Poor Corot.

Seed inwardly mourned for three seconds for the human Controller who had been turned into a pig by him, then quickly discarded the pointless sentiment.

Whatever.

It’s not my problem if you feed Corot dog food, or even concrete for that matter.

Just don’t feed my cookies to the pig, that’s all.

Seed chuckled, casually picking up a bag of oatmeal cookies from the shelf. He was about to toss it into the shopping cart when Fox stopped him.

Fox looked at Seed discontentedly, her tone carrying a hint of complaint, but mostly it was a coquettish whine.

"You eat too many cookies, Seed! These cookies are high in sugar. At your age, eating too many sweets will give you cavities."

Do you believe I could eat all the sugar in the world and still not get a single cavity!

Seed grumbled internally.

Still, he kept a smile on his face and put the cookies back on the shelf. However, as an act of revenge, he went over and ruffled Fox’s hair, intentionally messing it up.

Alright, he actually quite enjoyed this feeling—being managed by this little girl with her complaints and concern.

Hmm, what’s the word humans use to describe these feelings?

That’s right, affection.

「Exiting the megastore」

As they stepped out of the megastore and into the parking lot, they saw from a distance several shoppers hiding behind cars, trembling with fear. Some were even lying on the ground, hands over their heads.

Fox was looking around in bewilderment when Seed pushed her head down, pressing her behind a pillar.

The girl was about to protest when a gunshot rang out.

BANG!

Followed by a series of bangs... BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

A succession of gunshots, paired with angry shouting and the screams of bystanders...

"Wait a second," Seed said lazily with a smile. "There’s a gunfight in the parking lot."

Fox unhappily moved her head. "Seed, I’m not a helpless kid; I’m an Ability User too! It’s just shooting, I’m not..."

"Kids should act like kids; that’s what makes them cute."

Seed tilted his head to survey the parking lot.

Hmm, clearly, it was a shootout between two groups.

Safety in South America... you know how it is.

Probably some dealers were making a transaction in the parking lot, and then a conflict arose, leading to gunfire.

Seed pulled Fox down to sit behind the pillar. "Let’s wait a bit; the cops will be here soon."

"Aren’t you going to do something?" Fox asked curiously, looking at Seed.

Seed rolled his eyes. "I’m not God... uh..." Having said that, he sighed helplessly under Fox’s teasing gaze. "Alright, although I have the ability, I really don’t want to intervene."

He patted the back of the girl’s hand, lecturing her seriously, "There are so many people watching. Abnormal actions could bring trouble for you and your mother. You wouldn’t want to become a monster in the limelight, would you?"

And... if that were to happen, for the sake of this mother and daughter, I would just have to quietly step away...

Seed didn’t say this last part out loud.

"The police here are slow to respond," Fox complained, fretting. "There’s a football match tonight, River Plate versus Boca Juniors! What if we miss it?"

"Simple, then we go straight home," Seed grinned. "Instantaneous Movement home?"

"No way! I sneaked out with Mom’s car! The car is still in the parking lot. If she gets home and sees it’s not there, she’ll definitely scold me."

Seed rolled his eyes. "There are at least thirty pairs of eyes watching here. I can’t just brave the hail of bullets and make a car disappear in front of everyone, can I?"

As he spoke, he muttered, "I told you, minors shouldn’t be driving... sigh..."

Fox giggled, then she unexpectedly moved her head closer to Seed’s palm and gently rubbed against it, saying with an affectionate tone, "Seed, I know you can figure it out..."

Seed: "...So now you’re not calling me a kid who can’t eat sugar?"

Alright.

Seed finally stood up from behind the pillar, dusted off his clothes, took a cookie from his pocket, and began to stroll out from behind the pillar, munching on it.

Seeing such a messily-haired kid walk out, some of the bystanders hiding from the gunfire screamed.

"Kid! Get back! Don’t come out!"

"Oh God! Where are his parents?"

"Get back!! It’s dangerous!!"

Seed glanced back at the hiding bystanders not far behind him and grinned, showing his teeth.

He slowly raised his first finger.

The two surveillance cameras around the parking lot spontaneously exploded. Simultaneously, the monitoring servers connected to them also instantly burned out, the damage tracing back along the lines!

BANG! BANG!

After two more gunshots, one bullet hit a car next to Seed. Another hit the ground, ricocheted towards Seed, but then suddenly froze mid-air before silently falling to the ground.

Seed raised his second finger.

Instantly, and silently, within a 500-meter radius centered on him!

All the bystanders hiding from the gunfire in the parking lot and the surrounding area, as well as the several gang members engaged in the shootout, lost consciousness at the same moment. Their bodies went limp, and they all collapsed to the ground!

"Alright." Seed turned his head to look at Fox hiding behind the pillar, walked over, pushed out the shopping cart, and quickly went to their car. He opened the trunk and stuffed the purchased goods inside.

Then, he gently patted the car body.

The car disappeared.

"There, our car is back home," Seed said to Fox, then suddenly added with a smile, "You didn’t really want to watch the game, did you? You just hoped I would intervene and stop the criminals, right?"

Fox blinked and said with a smile, "You’re so capable, Seed! There are many innocent civilians here. What if they get hurt?"

Seed pursed his lips but said nothing. He walked over, took Fox’s hand, and their figures disappeared from the spot.

What Fox didn’t know was that a pack of oatmeal cookies had also vanished from the supermarket shelf at the same time.

In the distance, the faint sound of police sirens could be heard, appearing and disappearing.

「"Aren’t we going home?"」

Standing by the roadside, Fox’s eyes widened in disbelief!

She recognized this place: a small park square where she occasionally hung out, still quite a distance from her own neighborhood!

"That’s your Punishment. The Punishment for tricking me into meddling," Seed said seriously. "It’s about 2.6 miles from home, so... walk back, child!"

"Young people, a little more exercise won’t do any harm."

Under the setting sun, Fox covered her face and let out a wail of despair.

However, before long, the cheerful laughter of a girl came from the side of the road.

"Seed, are you hiding a pack of cookies?"

"Seed, you definitely can’t outrun me if you don’t use your powers!"

"Hahahaha, Seed, you’re so short now, and your legs are so short, you can’t outrun me, hahaha..."

「"Awake?"」

Chen Nuo looked at Yun Yin, who was lying on the bed and opening her eyes. He offered a timely greeting, "You might feel a bit numb in your legs from sleeping so long without changing positions. Why not get up and move around a bit..."

As he was speaking, Yun Yin had already leaped up from the bed, glaring at Chen Nuo grimly.

"Let’s get one thing clear: you are no match for me right now, so there’s no point in starting a fight. Can we both avoid trouble, okay?"

Yun Yin gritted her teeth.

"You heard what that cat said earlier; it wasn’t me who turned you into this."

After listening to Chen Nuo’s words and remaining silent for a moment, Yun Yin took a deep breath, then said coldly, "I’m hungry. There must be something to eat here."

Chen Nuo thought for a moment, then went to the kitchen and rummaged around for a while.

When he returned, he was holding two packs of instant noodles.

"They expire in a week... want to give them a try?"

"..."

Alright, twenty minutes later, the two were sitting at the dining table in the living room. In front of them were a plate of saltwater duck, a plate of marinated beef, and a plate of cold salad.

Naturally, Chen Nuo couldn’t let Yun Yin eat instant noodles that were about to expire—not even those expiring in a week.

After all, even if he didn’t care about Yun Yin’s life or death, this body belonged to Sun Keke.

If she got a stomachache, whose fault would it be?

Wouldn’t he feel distressed?

"It’s from the marinated meat shop downstairs. It should taste pretty good. Make do with it," Chen Nuo said, passing the chopsticks to Yun Yin. "You can use chopsticks, right?"

"I am one of the Chinese people," Yun Yin replied coldly, taking the chopsticks and skillfully picking up a slice of beef to put into her mouth.

Alright, Chen Nuo sighed internally, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

If it were Sun Keke, she definitely wouldn’t eat beef—that girl Sun Keke didn’t like beef or mutton, always saying they had a strange taste.

Watching Yun Yin eat a few bites in silence, Chen Nuo then asked, "Can you tell me about yourself?"

"Me?"

"Yeah, let’s talk more. Perhaps we can find some way for you to recover," Chen Nuo said with a wry smile. "We don’t really have any other options right now."

"..." Yun Yin thought seriously for a moment, then nodded.

Chen Nuo perked up. "Go ahead, I’m all ears!"

"I am one of the Chinese people. My father was Yun He, the Sect Leader of the Qingyun Sect."

"Yes, I know that," Chen Nuo nodded.

"You should indeed know," Yun Yin said coldly. "When you fought me in London... you used the swordsmanship of my Qingyun Sect, and you’ve cultivated your killing intent quite well."

"So... are you also from the Qingyun Sect?"

"I am not," Chen Nuo shook his head.

Right, she was talking about the Sword of Killing Intent.

"When I was born, my father was already seriously ill. Later, I realized it wasn’t an illness, but rather that he had sustained severe injuries.

My father died from his illness when I was three, and I was raised within the Qingyun Sect. At the age of nine, someone took me away.

The person who took me away was very powerful. No one in the Qingyun Sect noticed as I was secretly taken away."

Chen Nuo frowned. "That’s not being ’taken away,’ that’s being kidnapped or abducted, right?"

Yun Yin looked up at Chen Nuo. "The person who took me away treated me very well later, so... I have no reason to hate him."

But Chen Nuo heard an underlying meaning in her words.

A thought struck him, and he asked softly, "Your... childhood at the Qingyun Sect... it wasn’t very good, was it?"

"When my mother was pregnant with me, my father went on a long trip and returned gravely injured.

My mother died in childbirth.

And when I was three, my father also passed away.

As an orphan in the Qingyun Sect, without parents and no one to rely on... do you think I had a good life?"

Chen Nuo frowned. "But you were the Sect Leader’s daughter, after all..."

"A dead Sect Leader is no longer a Sect Leader," Yun Yin retorted indifferently.

This seemingly calm and indifferent sentence might contain a tragic story.

Chen Nuo hesitated for a moment and then decided not to probe further.

However, there was still one question he really wanted to know the answer to.

"...How did you achieve longevity? I mean, when I met you, you were over three hundred years old but looked like you were in your twenties."

Alright, he had to ask this question, as it also related to himself.

After all, Empress Lu at home was his wife.

A woman three years older is a treasure.

But a woman three hundred years older... what does she hold?

Yun Yin spoke slowly, "The man who took me away told me he had shared a portion of his Life Force with me. This would greatly prolong my lifespan."

Shared Life Force?

Seed... why would he do that?

"He said he is not human, but a form of life we cannot comprehend.

He was searching for a method of evolution, so I became one of his experiments.

Before me, he had other subjects, but none were very successful.

He conceived of a possibility: if a subject grew strong enough, they might be able to break through the barriers.

But the issue is, human life is finite. A finite life becomes a restraint on the growth of strength.

When humans reach old age, their strength inevitably declines; both physical and spiritual power diminish."

"So... perhaps if one’s lifespan were extended, then the experimental subject’s time for growth would increase, and maybe a breakthrough method could be found."

"Then... did he ever tell you how long you could live after he shared his Life Force with you?"

"About 2,000 years or so."

Chen Nuo fell silent.

A lifespan of 2,000 years...

It really makes one want to flip a table, doesn’t it?!!!

With modern medical standards, an ordinary human living past their seventies is already quite good.

Top human Ability Users, like that old geezer, the Son of the Sun...

He’s actually already starting to age.

According to the Underground World’s estimates for top Controllers, even those who have mastered control over their own bodies down to the cellular level can extend their lives far beyond that of an average person.

But all things considered, they could only live to be about two hundred years old.

That included Chen Nuo himself.

If it weren’t for the bizarre tumor in his brain’s central system from his previous life—that was possibly caused by an excessive breakthrough in strength, a Four-dimensional existence unable to persist in three dimensions.

But maintaining a three-dimensional human state, even Chen Nuo could only live to be about two hundred... with some luck, maybe two hundred and fifty?

And she gets 2,000 years straight off!!

Thinking of the stunningly beautiful Empress Lu at home...

What’s the use of talking about growing old together?

By the time I’m a portrait on the wall, she’d still be in her youth!!!

Thinking about it like this brings a mix of annoyance and despair!

"He was very kind to me, kinder than anyone in the Qingyun Sect had ever been.

He taught me many things, but later on, he made a choice. He went and stole many of the Qingyun Sect’s cultivation Spells and taught them to me..."

"He said, since I am one of the Chinese people, perhaps the Qingyun Sect’s cultivation methods would be most suitable for me. Moreover, he said he had witnessed my father’s strength; my father’s abilities were so formidable that even he couldn’t help but praise them.

So, he believed that perhaps the cultivation methods left by my father were the most suitable for me."

Chen Nuo frowned. "But... haven’t you ever thought that he was actually using you?"

"Does it matter?" Yun Yin’s voice was light, and her tone was flat as she slowly spoke, "After he took me away, I experienced for the first time how comfortable it was to have enough food to eat and warm clothes to wear."

"I understood how comfortable life could be without anyone bullying me." 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Chen Nuo said softly, "So you hate the Qingyun Sect?"

"I wouldn’t say hate; after all, that was my father’s sect. There’s no need for me to hate a sect. It’s just that there were some wicked people in it.

After my father died, one of his martial brothers took over the sect. In his youth, he couldn’t compete with my father.

When my father died unexpectedly in his old age, it was as if he’d lucked into becoming the Sect Leader.

Later, he probably took out his youthful resentment on me.

The Sect Leader was cold to me, and those below him followed his example.

If I went hungry one day and no one cared, the next day someone would dare to secretly trip me.

If I was tripped and the Sect Leader didn’t uphold justice, then the day after, someone would dare to deliberately hit me a few times during practice.

Gradually, things escalated further.

It was just a case of ’if the upper beam is not straight, the lower beams will be crooked.’"

Speaking of this, Yun Yin’s lips curled into a smile.

What a smile that was...

Chen Nuo felt somewhat emotional internally.

It was clearly Sun Keke’s sweet, cute, and harmless-to-humans-and-animals face, yet that smile seemed to faintly carry something unsettling!

"When I was fourteen, I secretly returned to the Qingyun Sect and killed that Sect Leader.

So, when you ask if I hate the Qingyun Sect...

Of course, I don’t.

Because I’ve already personally taken revenge on those who bullied me.

Don’t worry, his death was very gruesome.

I beat him viciously, then broke the bones in his legs and feet, and finally threw him from a height of 2,000 meters."

As she said this, Yun Yin, with Sun Keke’s face, smiled.

"So, why should I still hate the Qingyun Sect?"

Chen Nuo fell silent again.