Chapter 232: Corrupted Forest Blood Hunt Settlement |
[Main Quest completed. The Script will be settled after the story concludes.]
The moment the countdown ended, Bai Mu heard the notification chime. A familiar flash of white light followed, and he and Xiao Wei vanished from Tuya's back. Because this was not a team script, he did not gain free movement in some third-person perspective. Instead, just like his previous single-player scripts, his vision transitioned into a cinematic first-person view.
He saw a scene of Tuya gently setting down the beast-tooth necklace she held in her mouth. This was the marker the villagers used to distinguish the ownership of their deer. Every deer owner would tie something representing themselves onto their mount. Some used a piece of linen tied to the antlers, some used strands of hair, and others used these beast-tooth necklaces.
Usually, deer wearing beast-tooth necklaces were the property of hunters. They often followed their masters out on hunts, and the masters would string the teeth of their prey together and tie them to their deer as a symbol of their prowess.
It was not difficult to understand the meaning behind Tuya's action. She still remembered who had saved her from the butcher's blade, and this gesture represented her loyalty and profound gratitude. Bai Mu watched as she returned to the camp. The deer herd welcomed her back, and the Shaman greeted her as well. The people gazed in the direction Tuya had come from, kneeling to kiss the earth. They knew Bai Mu had left. From their perspective, a man possessing divine power had suddenly descended from the heavens when disaster struck, only to vanish without a trace once the calamity ended. It was hard for them not to view him as a benevolent deity who had delivered them from suffering.
Soon, Bai Mu saw wooden carvings of him and Xiao Wei erected in the camp. A skilled carpenter among the refugees had used a small knife to whittle their likenesses, placing the statues near the lake. Whenever someone went to fetch water, they would bow and worship the wooden figures.
If this were placed within an Eastern mythology system, it would be the equivalent of receiving incense offerings. However, the number of refugees was simply too small. Even if there were true incense offerings, it would hardly amount to any significant power.
Time was not accelerated this time; Bai Mu merely watched a few montage-like scenes flash by.
He saw Adai recover Ashi's body, burying her deep in the earth and erecting a tombstone.
He saw a torrential downpour wash over the land. Then, seeds buried deep within the soil began to sprout. Tender green shoots emerged from the scorched earth, swaying gently in the wind.
Vitality revived within the earth, and the charred ground gradually regained its vibrant colors. Insects and birds reappeared, small fish swam in the waters, and young fawns crawled beneath their mothers' bellies to nurse. Meanwhile, in a dark and profound corner, lush green trees unexpectedly began sprouting from the top of a bizarre, wide-eyed beast's head.
It was wedged tightly into a rock, no longer draining life from its surroundings. Instead, vigorous life force poured out from that small skull, bringing boundless vitality.
Centered around that head, massive trees sprouted from the soil, growing at a terrifying speed. The head gradually merged with the earth until a brand new forest appeared. The towering trees blotted out the sky, each one colossal and majestic. Moss blanketed the rocks, and wild beasts far exceeding normal proportions began to roam the area once more.
Perhaps a long time later, an entity bearing the traits of numerous beasts reappeared in a serene lake at the heart of the forest. It was grotesque and bizarre, sporting the body of a deer and the tail of a horse, while its head was completely different from the one Bai Mu had seen before. It wandered through the woods, everything appearing so peaceful and harmonious. Yet, Bai Mu knew that this creature was a "god." The previous "god" had died, and the next "god" had predictably awakened. Everything was ultimately a cycle of reincarnation. But at least for now, no one disturbed it, and no one coveted its power.
It had reemerged in a place far from humanity. The humans living outside the forest were still struggling for survival, lacking the spare energy to concern themselves with a "god." It was forgotten in a remote corner. However, no one knew when someone might cross paths with it again and fall under the sway of its miraculous power. Bai Mu felt that the best way for it to coexist with humanity was total non-interference—each living their own lives. But he knew that was impossible. One day, humans would eventually discover it. This realization brought him a touch of sorrow, knowing the tragic cycle would likely repeat itself.
However, the scene shifted to a bustling and prosperous human settlement. By this time, the wooden carvings of Bai Mu and Xiao Wei had been replaced by grand bronze statues. He had no idea how many eras had passed. He could no longer find any familiar faces, and the crude tents built from dry grass had evolved into sturdy stone houses.
Beside their bronze figures stood an additional sculpture of a deer. Even Tuya had been immortalized in stone, remembered by generations.
Perhaps the people he had saved back then had all turned to dust, but he watched as a young maiden offered a small white flower before the bronze statues.
The girl's facial features felt strikingly familiar to him. She bore a seventy or eighty percent resemblance to Ashi and Adai, almost as if he were looking at the younger version of those girls. Perhaps the cycle of tragedy would play out again, but life itself would never end. It seemed the people who had fought by his side had successfully survived and thrived. [You have achieved the ending: Endless Life.]
[The script's storyline has concluded. You have completed the Script: Corrupted Forest Blood Hunt.]
[The Script has ended. Preparing to teleport to the Community.]
The cinematic vision came to an abrupt halt. In the blink of an eye, Bai Mu found himself back in his Community room. His physical condition was completely restored. The exhaustion and weathering from thirty days of migration in the script were entirely gone, as if he had been reset to his exact state before entering the mission.
[The Script "Corrupted Forest Blood Hunt" is complete. Calculating personal rewards.]
[Detected the completion of the Hidden Quest "Evil God Killer". Rating increased. You have acquired Roulette Draw x1.]
[Detected the completion of the Hidden Quest "Savior". Rating increased. You have acquired Roulette Draw x1.]
[You have earned the loyalty of Tuya. You have acquired the item "Deer Summoning Necklace" x1.]
[You have slain the Mountain Evil God (Head of God). You have acquired the Title "God Slayer" and the item "Blood of God" x1.]
[You have accumulated a total of 100 rescued script characters. You have acquired the Title "Savior".]
[Total Mountain Evil Gods slain: 24 Large Mountain Evil Gods, 82 Medium Mountain Evil Gods, 91 Small Mountain Evil Gods. You have acquired 5000 Points.]
[Your kill Points for this Script have reached the maximum limit. Excess Points have been converted into Script Chests.]
[You have acquired Script Chest (Rare) x5.]
[Script Chest (Rare) acquisitions have reached the script limit. Calculating the remainder...]
[You have acquired Script Chest (Perfect) x1.]
[Detected that the Player has achieved the ending: Endless Life. Ending Rewards: 1600 Points, 600 hours of Community Time. Because your Script Chest acquisitions have reached the maximum limit, your Hidden Ending bonus rewards are doubled.]
[Hidden Ending Bonus Rewards: Randomly acquire 2 Rare-grade equipment pieces (category selectable) / Rare-grade permanent Skill Card.] [Current Script Completion Rate: 100%]
[Acquired Items/Equipment: Wish Stone, Deer Summoning Necklace, Blood of God.]
[Acquired Skills: Ancient Language Mastery Lv.3, Riding Skills Lv.4.]
[Acquired Bloodlines: None.]
[Acquired Titles: God Slayer, Savior.]
[Your comprehensive personal Script rating is: S. The Points and Community Time acquired are 150% of the base amount.]
[You have acquired 9900 Points and 840 hours of Community Time.]
[Settlement is complete.]
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