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Time-Space Spirit
墨書 Inktalez
Human greed, while not endless, is still difficult to satisfy. Greed has a way of automatically upgrading itself. When you have no money, you might think that if you earn a million, you'll stop and enjoy the rest of your life in peace. Yet, how many millionaires have been born, and how few have actually stopped working? They set their sights on ten million and continue striving.
Fang Lin Kong's evaluation of this desire is simple: one always wants more. Of course, he was referring to himself.
After two months of summer vacation, Fang Lin Kong should have felt it was well worth it.
He traveled to Tibet with several online friends he had never met before, touched yaks, seen purebred Tibetan Mastiffs, met Lamas, and tasted butter tea. The two-month journey was not only thrilling and exciting but also opened a new chapter in his life, making Fang Lin Kong's already positive attitude even more uplifting.
However, just like his assessment of greed, Fang Lin Kong felt regret for not being able to obtain the contact information of that Tibetan girl.
Under the clear sky, with melodious singing and beautiful grasslands, there was the pure and innocent girl, Dawa Yangzong, dressed in traditional Tibetan attire. She seemed like a fairy floating down from the heavens, igniting in Fang Lin Kong a stronger desire to admire her than the scenery itself. However, quickly seeing through Fang Lin Kong's ulterior motives, Dawa Yangzong smiled brightly but gave him no opportunity. In the end, aside from learning that this beautiful Tibetan girl was a freshman in the Art Department at Central University for Nationalities, he couldn't gather any reliable information about her.
As a high school sophomore, Fang Lin Kong realized that if he wanted to meet girls at university, he would have to wait another year and a half, which left him feeling quite frustrated.
On the morning of the first day of school, Fang Lin Kong hurriedly got off the train. Returning to his familiar city lightened his mood considerably. Glancing at his watch, he realized he didn't even have time to go home. With no other choice, he set off for school looking somewhat worn out and dressed like a Tibetan.
Although Fang Lin Kong appeared travel-worn, his tall stature of 184 centimeters and the strong physique developed from years of exercise made him look like a somewhat charming young man. He felt physically tired but was in good spirits.
When Fang Lin Kong appeared, the classroom instantly became lively.
The teacher hadn't arrived yet. Dropping his backpack, Fang Lin Kong cheerfully began chatting with his classmates.
"Hey everyone! On my trip to Tibet, I heard an ancient legend. Do you want to hear about it?"
Fang Lin Kong's outfit stood out in the campus crowd. His hiking boots from the trip and military belt combined with his slightly rugged features gave him an appealing charm when he smiled.
The plump Wen Yi was the first to rush over and hug Fang Lin Kong. With a teasing tone, he said, "Fang Lin Kong! You didn't get eaten by wolves in Tibet and actually made it back! That's impressive!"
Beside him, Lu Mingxia pouted and said playfully, "What experiences do you have? Hurry up and share with everyone. Let's see how much skill you've learned at Potala Palace."
Fang Lin Kong casually plopped down on Lu Mingxia's desk and boldly declared, "Let me tell you an ancient story! Do you know why the Tathagata Buddha smiled when he picked a flower?"
With a mysterious smile, Fang Lin Kong continued after everyone shook their heads. "There's a tale behind it. It is said that when the Buddha preached, his words were often captivating and eloquent, bringing the dead back to life and making the living feel as if they were dead. However, one day, the Tathagata did not preach; instead, he picked a fresh flower and smiled brightly. All his disciples—Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Bhikkhus—were puzzled, except for Mahakasyapa, who smiled silently. He approached the Buddha and whispered something in his ear before handing him an object. Immediately, the Tathagata left his seat in high spirits without delivering a sermon that day. The next day, Mahakasyapa was promoted to head of the Scripture Repository with an increase in salary. You must understand that seeking scriptures from the West was a national-level diplomatic mission. Delegations from dozens of countries often came to pay for visits. The position of head of the Scripture Repository was highly coveted, with countless Bodhisattvas and Arhats vying for it. This role not only allowed one to network with powerful figures from various nations but also greatly benefited one's political future. Moreover, one would receive numerous gifts from foreign friends. Among the most famous gifts was the Purple Gold Bowl presented by Chen Xuanzang, the Tripitaka Monk, during the Tang Dynasty."
"Later, someone asked Mahakasyapa how he could understand the Tathagata's inner thoughts so well. Mahakasyapa replied, 'I once saw that monkey Sun Wukong inviting the Tathagata to enjoy hot pot at Australian Little Lamb. You see, the Tathagata has been a vegetarian for years; how could he handle such greasy food? Sure enough, the next day, the Tathagata had an upset stomach while preaching. Searching around, he found only flowers and fruits offered by his followers. How could he use those? The Buddha is a very modest person and usually serious; how could he openly say that this flower is too small and not enough for my needs? Who has a larger banana leaf for me? So he could only hint at everyone by picking a flower and smiling, but I took the initiative and offered him a roll of premium toilet paper.' All the Arhats and Bodhisattvas were left in astonishment."
By the end of Fang Lin Kong's story, the classroom was filled with whispers of disbelief mixed with laughter from the girls who could no longer contain their giggles. The slight awkwardness from not seeing each other over summer break had vanished completely.
Just as Fang Lin Kong was animatedly speaking, he suddenly heard Ma Jingjie at the door calling out in a strange tone, "Fang Lin Kong! Someone's looking for you... Hehe!"
Fang Lin Kong looked at his old friend laughing mischievously and couldn't help but mutter to himself as he walked toward the classroom door while thinking angrily, "Who is so shy? If they want to find me, they should just come in boldly instead of making it all mysterious. Why make Ma Jingjie call me out?"
Seeing Ma Jingjie's expression made Fang Lin Kong suspect it was some girl looking for him. As for who it might be, he couldn't guess. He had been too focused on mocking the Buddha group earlier to notice who had been at the door.
Fang Lin Kong stepped out of the classroom and before he could look around, a thick envelope was already handed to him.
"Your mail! I happened to be back at school during summer break and collected it for you. Now that school has started today, I'm delivering it."
"Ah! It's you?"
Fang Lin Kong wasn't surprised about receiving mail but was greatly surprised by who delivered it.
He attended a prestigious high school with eight classes in his grade. The attractive girls had long been ranked by lecherous boys; Ding Qingya was one of them. Ding Qingya was known to be quite proud and Fang Lin Kong had never had a chance to get close to her.
Today Ding Qingya seemed to have made a bit more effort in her appearance; she still wore her usual elegant attire without any flashy embellishments. Her light yellow dress fell just above her knees, revealing her fair calves. She wore delicate sandals that showcased her pearl-like toes. Her long black hair was tied back into a ponytail which accentuated her pretty face.
However, Fang Lin Kong noticed that Ding Qingya did not seem very friendly. He quickly said "Thank you!" without daring to say more and hurriedly accepted the envelope. Ding Qingya was known for being cold at school; she never bothered to hide her disdain for boys, and Fang Lin Kong didn't want to make things awkward. Joking around depended on both people’s moods and the atmosphere.
Fang Lin Kong rarely took things seriously, but whispers floated out from the classroom behind him.
"Wow! When did Old Fang catch up with Ding Qingya from Class Six? And what's with this huge stack? It must be a collection of love letters!"
"Not necessarily. Maybe it's Old Fang's contract of servitude. Looks like he sold off quite a few rights for the next ten lifetimes."
Through a gap in the Daoist Sect, he could hear several people discussing what Ding Qingya had given Fang Lin Kong.
Fang Lin Kong often boasted about his thick skin, claiming it ranked high in the world. However, upon hearing these comments, he felt his face flush. Ding Qingya let out a cold snort, her expression changing dramatically as she turned to leave. The disdainful look she shot him made Fang Lin Kong feel like he could sink into the concrete floor.
"Damn! Can everyone just keep their mouths shut? It's just an email, and the address is—Canada. What? How could it be from abroad?"
Glancing at the email, Fang Lin Kong was momentarily stunned. He couldn't recall when he had made any foreign friends.
He only remembered once debating with some foreign youth about the quality of Chinese people. Fang Lin Kong, confident in his English skills, managed to communicate fairly well. They started with nationalities and exchanged greetings about each other's families, eventually escalating to some rather crude discussions about body parts. The debate ended when Fang Lin Kong sent a vulgar video of a Chinese person welding an old foreigner's backside, which concluded their argument.
Though Fang Lin Kong found the foreigner’s reaction quite artistic after that spark of electricity, the other party clearly did not share his view. They immediately kicked him off MSN after expressing their intent to "seal your mouth shut, Cloud Cloud..." It was evident they grasped the implications of that video quite deeply and ceased all communication thereafter.
Fang Lin Kong had felt quite proud for days afterward, thinking to himself, "That foreign youth must have heart issues; if not angina, then definitely coronary disease. While the chance of them having a seizure on the spot was slim, it wouldn't be surprising if they were just furious."
In the following days, Fang Lin Kong basked in a sense of pride for having swept through Europe and America, raising his head high for his fellow countrymen.
After thinking it over, he couldn't recall any other interactions with foreigners aside from that heated exchange.
As soon as Fang Lin Kong returned to class with the item in hand, someone quickly rushed over and snatched the email from him for a "security check."
The timid guys who had been hiding by the door moments ago now emerged. They were his three closest friends: Ma Jingjie, Chen Mingbin, and Wen Yi. The three of them rudely tore off the outer packaging of the email and opened it clumsily. Inside, they found only an old book wrapped in layers.
The book was thick with yellowed pages that looked very ancient. The pages seemed to be made from a thin silk-like material, giving it a smooth feel in hand. On the cover were two ancient characters in seal script. Ma Jingjie, Chen Mingbin, and Wen Yi stared at each other for a long time but didn’t recognize anything. Ma Jingjie gently tugged at it and discovered that every page was stuck together and couldn’t be opened. He then gave up on trying to peek into its mysteries and tossed the book back to Fang Lin Kong.
"Wen Yi" said suspiciously, "Old Fang, when did you start hanging out with foreign archaeologists? But the text on this book looks like ancient Chinese text! Could it be a lost artifact from China?"
"Fang Lin Kong" didn't know how to respond to "Wen Yi," but after a moment of thought, he smiled and said, "I am the leader of the Bird Language Cult from Seven Major Websites and Sixty-Eight BBS. I have countless foreign followers. It must be one of them who, out of respect for my character, purchased our cultural relics at a high price and returned them to me."
"Shh..."
Just as they were about to continue their banter, "Fang Lin Kong" spotted the "Homeroom Teacher" approaching from a distance and quickly shouted, "Wind's up! Stop talking!" He pushed aside "Wen Yi" and the others and turned to dash into the classroom.
After a day of classes, without needing "Fang Lin Kong" to invite them, "Wen Yi," "Ma Jingjie," and "Chen Mingbin" followed him to his house, eager to continue studying this highly valuable antique.
"Fang Lin Kong's" parents worked long hours and often came home late, so his friends frequently gathered at his place to pass the time. The four of them studied the book for a long time and finally discovered its peculiar quality—it was incredibly sturdy. None of them could tear off even a tiny piece. Even when "Ma Jingjie" tried to burn it with a lighter for seven or eight minutes, the Zippo lighter became too hot to hold, yet the book showed no signs of damage.
Such an extraordinary object sparked wild imaginations among the four.
"Wen Yi" sprawled comfortably on "Fang Lin Kong's" sofa, suggesting, "Why don't we spill some blood? Maybe we can unlock an ancient contract and become monsters..."
Before he could finish, "Fang Lin Kong" delivered a swift knock on his head.
"You've watched 'The Lord of the Rings' six or seven times and dream of becoming a monster. That's just tasteless. However..." "Fang Lin Kong" changed the subject, grabbing "Wen Yi's" hand with a grin and said, "Since you're willing, I'll let you bleed a little and make some blood tofu for everyone to taste."
At school, "Fang Lin Kong" was known for his antics. He could casually run off with a bunch of strangers from the internet to explore places like Shangri-La in Tibet. Of course, he was also capable of more outrageous things.
"Wen Yi," seeing the mischievous glint in "Fang Lin Kong's" eyes, quickly pulled back his delicate hand. In his haste, he bumped into the corner of the table and blood began to flow. With poor coordination, he stumbled backward and fell to the ground, knocking books off the table in the process.
"Fang Lin Kong" immediately burst into laughter without restraint, while even uninvolved friends like "Ma Jingjie" and "Chen Mingbin" couldn't help but find joy in "Wen Yi's" clumsiness.
Back in their first year of high school, "Wen Yi" always spoke in hushed tones as if trying to hide his words from others.
"Fang Lin Kong" teased him saying, "'Wen Yi's' expression is so lewd! It's as if he's saying, 'I have adult films for sale; please keep it quiet.'" Even now, "Fang Lin Kong" hadn't changed his habit of mocking him.
Fang Lin Kong laughed for a long time before he was the first to notice something was wrong. Wen Yi had only scraped off some skin, yet this guy was trembling and unable to stand up.
"Wen Yi, what the hell are you doing? Get up and put on a band-aid. Are you really trying to bleed out half a pound tonight so we can order extra dishes?"
"No! I can't stand up! This... this cursed book is sucking my blood!" Wen Yi finally managed to speak, his voice filled with dread as he revealed a terrifying truth.
Realizing that something was indeed amiss, Fang Lin Kong quickly pulled Wen Yi up. To his horror, he discovered that Wen Yi's left hand had become stuck to the ancient book, as if a book had grown out of his palm. After tearing at it twice, all Fang Lin Kong heard was Wen Yi's cries of pain; he couldn't budge the ancient book that was glued to Wen Yi's left hand at all.
Now even Ma Jingjie and Chen Mingbin were frightened. At such a critical moment, they all turned their gaze toward Fang Lin Kong. He was the one among them who could make decisions.
Feeling the weight of his friends' stares, Fang Lin Kong took a deep breath and said without hesitation, "We need to go to the hospital immediately and see if we can get this cursed book off Wen Yi's hand. Let's go! We can't waste any time..."
With someone making a decision, the three of them calmed down. Even though Wen Yi felt like he was being drained of blood, he showed no other adverse reactions. His chubby face still looked rosy and healthy.
Just as they were about to leave, an unexpected change occurred. A sharp laugh echoed through the room: "Oh! Fire Quirk, this fat guy isn't suitable for me; I'll leave him to you. Kazama, I smell other people's scents... Jie Jie..."
Wen Yi suddenly heard this voice and looked at Fang Lin Kong in disbelief. When he glanced around and saw Ma Jingjie and Chen Mingbin's faces pale with fear, he realized it wasn't just his imagination; there was indeed a strange voice. Panic overwhelmed him, and he collapsed onto the floor.
Fang Lin Kong felt a chill run down his spine but reacted quickly. He dragged Wen Yi into the kitchen and grabbed a kitchen knife, intending to cut away the mysterious book.
As soon as the knife touched Wen Yi's palm, a surge of blue electricity erupted from the book, racing up the knife and into Fang Lin Kong's arm, coursing through his entire body. A powerful force knocked both Fang Lin Kong and Wen Yi out of the kitchen.
"Jie Jie! Jie Jie! This is actually an immortal! We're free..." Despite its oddity, the joy in that voice was unmistakable. As for what it meant, it was beyond the comprehension of four high school students.
The blue electricity briefly passed over Fang Lin Kong without lingering. Ma Jingjie, who was closer to him, became the target of this strange current.
As the current hit him, Ma Jingjie's body crackled with explosive sounds. The originally stout Ma Jingjie seemed to be stretched by some force; his once plump belly now revealed ribs beneath his skin. After a series of contortions, Ma Jingjie's appearance changed dramatically. His simple buzz cut transformed into spikes reminiscent of Vegeta's hairstyle. His physique also became more athletic and agile.
At that moment, a gentle breeze swept through, causing Chen Mingbin's expression to turn blank as his body began to twitch uncontrollably. Meanwhile, Wen Yi—who had claimed to be drained of blood—showed no signs of paleness; instead, his complexion grew increasingly flushed until it resembled that of a shrimp boiling in water.
As Fang Lin Kong struggled to stand up after being shocked, the sight of his three friends undergoing such bizarre transformations filled him with dread. However, even in the face of danger, he never considered abandoning his friends to escape alone. Instead, he thought, "What’s happening? What should I do?"
He knew clearly that he was not dreaming, which only intensified his fear. Faced with such strange changes, Fang Lin Kong's body and mind were completely out of sync; his thoughts raced wildly while his body remained frozen.
Just moments ago, Fang Lin Kong had been shocked, and he had no idea where the kitchen knife had fallen. Finally regaining control over his body, he hurriedly rolled over to grab the phone to call for help, but by then, the transformations of Wen Yi, Chen Mingbin, and Ma Jingjie had already ceased.
After the change, Ma Jingjie casually waved his hand, and the thin blue electric current that had been in Fang Lin Kong's phone line was instantly severed. He smiled slightly at the bewildered Fang Lin Kong, exuding an eerie and mysterious aura.
Ma Jingjie and the others had originally been ordinary high school students, their appearances hovering around the average. Now, however, they had transformed into something unbelievable.
Ma Jingjie had become shorter but much more muscular. His eyes were cold and sharp; as he grasped the air with his hands, countless tiny arcs of electricity danced around him. He radiated a dangerous energy and laughed maniacally towards the sky, appearing extremely arrogant.
Chen Mingbin had grown slightly taller and was now incredibly agile. Once a sports idiot, he effortlessly performed a backflip and landed gracefully on the sofa, moving with a fluidity that could rival Michael Jordan.
Only Wen Yi appeared somewhat normal; however, where fat would typically grow now bulged with tightly packed muscles, prompting Fang Lin Kong to stifle a laugh despite the tense situation. Yet he certainly wouldn’t act on such an absurd impulse.
Watching the three as they slowly moved about, clearly familiarizing themselves with their new bodies, Fang Lin Kong couldn’t help but ask in astonishment, “Who are you? Why are you occupying my friends' bodies? Are you monsters or some kind of ghost?”
To Fang Lin Kong's surprise, Ma Jingjie abandoned his playful manipulation of electric arcs and turned back with a strange smile. “Oh! No! We are nothing... You don’t need to know any of this.”
The malevolent spirit occupying Ma Jingjie's body spoke nonchalantly: “You don’t need to know our purpose. Your friend's body is exactly what we need; it has granted us freedom! You! Pick up that book and come with us!”
“Why should I listen to you?” Fang Lin Kong snapped back defiantly despite knowing that they were not human. Though fear made his back feel cold, his tone showed no signs of retreat.
“A hard-shelled turtle dies just as easily as a soft-shelled shrimp; there’s nothing to be afraid of.” While encouraging himself inwardly, Fang Lin Kong quickly turned his mind to find a solution to this predicament.
“Oh? Quite spirited! I am Electric Ghost; nice to meet you.” The spirit calling itself Electric Ghost approached Fang Lin Kong with a mysterious smile. The face that once belonged to Ma Jingjie now appeared extremely menacing. One hand rested on Fang Lin Kong's chest, radiating an ominous energy.
Fang Lin Kong felt a jolt in his chest as powerful electricity surged through him; he was thrown back against the wall. As Electric Ghost slowly withdrew its crackling blue hand, its face remained adorned with that sinister grin.
Electric Ghost was clearly adept at controlling electricity, while Fang Lin Kong felt as if his entire body was in agony, yet there were no visible injuries on his skin.
“Pick up the book and come with us! Fire Quirk, don’t touch anything else. Just burn the appliances.”
The malevolent spirit possessing Wen Yi seemed quite curious about the appliances in Fang Lin Kong's home. With a flick of its finger, the television, refrigerator, air conditioner, and other devices exploded into fiery orbs. When Electric Ghost shouted to stop, it merely shrugged and led the way out.
Struggling to his feet, Fang Lin Kong picked up the ancient book that had fallen to the ground. Before he could take a step, a sudden gust of wind surged behind him, causing him to stumble forward as he was inexplicably pushed out of his home.
He had no idea why these beings wanted him to follow them, but Fang Lin Kong noticed that each of the three spirits possessed different abilities. The domineering Electric Ghost could command lightning. As for Fire Quirk, the name suggested expertise in fire. The silent one, Kazama, who had been called out by Electric Ghost before appearing, seemed to have a talent for summoning winds based on how it had propelled him out of the door.
It was evident that these three spirits could only operate in the human realm by occupying the bodies of his three friends.
Despite Fang Lin Kong's bravery, the thought of being controlled by unknown malevolent forces filled him with deep fear.
On a September afternoon around four or five o'clock, the sun still hung high in the sky. However, despite the sunlight on his skin, Fang Lin Kong felt no warmth at all.
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