Chapter 19: Great achievements are built on lies
Ever since he entered Wudong Town, Ron had witnessed numerous images. In Ron’s words, he felt like he had suddenly become a seer. However, when he asked the system if he had special abilities, the system denied it.
The mayor also mentioned that everyone who comes to this town will see images representing the truths of the town’s past.
As time passed, Ron increasingly felt that something was amiss. The images he saw included the truth of the town but extended beyond that. When the image showed a young man reaching out to gut him, Ron instinctively recoiled, exclaiming, “Holy crap.”
He regained his senses and realized he hadn’t cursed at the system or approached. Naturally, he wasn’t gutted by the young man in the ice sculpture either. Upon closer inspection, Ron was surprised that the person in the ice sculpture resembled the mayor’s son in the photo.
Although the mayor claimed his son was dead, being encased in ice, did that count as death? The squirrel in front of Ron rubbed its face with its paws and hurriedly left, seemingly having completed its task.
Ron attempted to take a few steps forward, but the images again enveloped his vision.
He wanted to distinguish current events from future-like visions. He wasn’t badass enough to adapt to this absurd perspective. At this moment, Ron simply wanted to know whether he should tear up this scroll.
One option is to die in the prison of time, like the people who came to this town before.
The other was to tear up the scroll and release everyone seemingly trapped in the ice.
Whichever choice, neither seemed quite right.
At that moment, the system’s red warning blared frantically as if telling Ron that seeing numerous images was dangerous.
[Warning, time traveler, you engage in parallel resonance without system protection. Please cease this behavior.] [You already possess the potential of a warrior, but the system assesses that you cannot withstand the second possibility.]Ron had long wanted to ask, what exactly was the possibility of parallel resonance?
[May I ask if your perspective is currently disoriented?]“It doesn’t matter if my perspective is disoriented or not. Right now, I just want to know how to undo this magic,” Ron asked.
“To undo the magic, simply tear apart the magic scroll. The scroll itself is very fragile.”
Honestly, the revelation that the system could offer a solution surprised Ron. He had assumed the system would follow its previous pattern and not reveal the solution, similar to the mayor’s behavior. He took the scroll from the ice sculpture’s hand, seeming unsure about tearing it as he had foreseen—splitting it and awakening the person inside.
The fear of repercussions for tearing the scroll made it feel like a precarious situation for Ron. However, commotion interrupted Ron’s thoughts as the ice sculpture shattered, and the man inside slowly awakened.
The system clarified that Ron hadn’t dispelled the magic, only weakened its effect. Hearing the increasing sound of breaking ice, Ron couldn’t help but ask about the consequences of the weakened magic.
The system explained that the excessively active evil deity’s offspring could pose a threat when awakened. As the ice sculpture shattered, the man inside slowly awakened, his eyes remarkably clear.
Ignoring Ron, the man glanced at his palm, confirming his awakening. After a deep breath, he realized he had awakened from the ice. The young man, full of presence, appeared like a lion to onlookers.
The evil deity’s face on his chest, accompanied by flames, added a strange quality to his demeanor. He ignored Ron and calmly addressed him as “Father.”
Following his gaze, Ron discovered the mayor standing in the open space. The frail mayor, leaning on a cane, had followed Ron to this place.
The squirrel that ran away earlier perched on his shoulder, seemingly anticipating the mayor’s arrival. The mayor’s original plan was for Ron to dispel the magic, but the unfolding events deviated from that plan.
In a sense, this unexpected awakening was what the mayor had hoped for the most. With a hoarse voice, the mayor uttered the young man’s name, Adrian.
Adrian confirmed that he was indeed the mayor’s son. They hadn’t seen each other for many years, and the mayor felt estranged from his now-young son.
Adrian calmly revealed that the mayor had deceived him, causing him to encase everyone in ice. The unsettling truth was exposed. The mayor confessed that it had been a hundred years since he had frozen them. All the supposed “great achievements” were built upon a foundation of lies.
