Master of Kaidan
Chapter 179: The Incomplete Truth

Chapter 179: Chapter 179: The Incomplete Truth

RPG game...

Chen Xiyao never expected why Feng Xue suddenly asked such a question, but she nodded and said,

"I’ve played it, but which type are you referring to? MMO or single-player? Action or strategy?"

"Oh, asking like that makes it seem you’ve played quite a bit, but it doesn’t matter..." Feng Xue’s tone became relaxed again, as if discussing favorite games with a friend:

"In many RPG games, characters have job classifications, you know? So-called ’ascension,’ to put it bluntly, is the process of changing from a civilian to a specific profession. But just like in games where you have to do a job-change quest, we also have specific conditions for ascension."

Hearing Feng Xue’s answer, the meeting room in the Communications Group immediately stirred, and Lin Wenxue, acting as an intermediary, quickly began writing questions on the board. However, before she could finish, Chen Xiyao had already asked the question everyone wanted to know:

"Is it because of this condition that you spread martial arts, commit other Kaidan crimes, and torment those who ’disappear’?"

"That’s right." Feng Xue answered without hesitation, "Compared to the three or four, or even a dozen, job options in games, our ascension paths are practically endless. But to summarize, it all comes down to one phrase: how to prove you are qualified for the job."

At this point, Feng Xue didn’t give Chen Xiyao the chance to seek help from the outside audience, instead, he directly asked,

"How do you think one can prove they’re qualified for a particular job? For example, if you plan to become a chef, what kind of task do you need to complete?"

When Feng Xue asked this question, an answer immediately appeared in Chen Xiyao’s mind:

"Cook a delicious dish."

But her intuition told her it wasn’t that simple.

Not only did Chen Xiyao begin thinking, but the whole Communications Group in the meeting room started pondering as well.

The first reaction everyone had upon hearing this question was similar to Chen Xiyao’s. However, if you linked this chef to Kaidan, everyone had to think about the specific meaning of the question.

According to current research, when a Kaidan completes ascension, it directly obtains some special abilities.

If we use their analogy of a game job-change, this ability is akin to a job skill. In other words, regardless of whether you can cook or not, after changing jobs, you’ll acquire cooking skills.

So, excluding tasty food, what truly proves you can become a chef?

Or, to expand a bit, if the person codenamed ’Instructor’ wishes to become the Martial Arts Source, then spreading martial arts would presumably satisfy this task.

Even if... those martial arts weren’t created by him.

The moment this thought crossed his mind, Wang Lao suddenly felt everything become clear.

"Notoriety!"

Those three words untangled many puzzles that the Kaidan Countermeasure Bureau had accumulated over the decades, and when they were conveyed to Chen Xiyao as an answer, Feng Xue also smiled.

Although it wasn’t accurate, he decided not to correct it, instead blurring the lines between labels and Kaidan entries, giving a definitive answer,

"Correct, notoriety. Take the example of ’Rumored Boyfriend,’ if enough people believe I’m your rumored boyfriend, then it proves I have the qualification to ’become your rumored boyfriend,’ and when that happens, I’ll ascend into the Kaidan of ’Chen Xiyao’s rumored boyfriend’!"

"How could such a Kaidan exist!" Chen Xiyao mumbled, her face red, but before she could continue to feel embarrassed, a faint touch came from her calf. She looked up abruptly to see Lin Wenxue pointing exaggeratedly at the board.

"Phew..." Exhaling a breath, Chen Xiyao tried to calm herself, then followed the questions on the board and asked, "According to what you said, you should have already completed the ascension; why do you still distribute Secret Manuals?"

"Oh, that question was for them to ask, right?" Feng Xue’s words instantly made both Chen Xiyao and the Countermeasure Bureau’s Communications Group tense, but then his voice came through the phone, laced with a bit of laughter:

"It’s actually quite simple if you think about it. Because ascension isn’t a one-time thing. For example, after killing many people, ’Wu’ can ascend into a ’Murderer.’ Then, by killing a tea master on foggy nights and performing dissections, one could possibly ascend into the ’Ripper.’ Or, by slicing open a victim with a katana, one could become a ’Slicer Demon.’ I am currently just an ordinary ’Instructor.’ To become a Martial Arts Grandmaster, or even the Martial Arts Source, there’s still a long way to go!"

"He even knows that his codename is ’Instructor’?" Everyone in the meeting room looked at each other in disbelief. If not for the prior ’Rumored Boyfriend’ saga, they might have suspected information had leaked internally.

Lin Wenxue, having not received any new information, picked up the prepared questions to prompt Chen Xiyao to speak.

Chen Xiyao felt like a messenger caught between two people having an angry argument, whose presence wasn’t necessary, yet it had to be her.

But since Feng Xue seemed well aware of this, she could only resign herself to say,

"Earlier, you only answered half of the last question; you haven’t mentioned the impact of spreading martial arts or your continued ascension."

After raising this question, Chen Xiyao distinctly felt the atmosphere shift, even though Feng Xue hadn’t yet spoken. Instinctively, she sensed that the person on the other end of the phone had changed somehow. It felt like a casual chat about TV shows or gossip had suddenly turned into a serious topic, like the passing of an elder or parents losing their jobs.

In the silence, as Chen Xiyao began to question if she had touched a nerve with her question, Feng Xue spoke again:

"You know, Kaidan actually have a lifespan."

The heavy tone was frightening, causing Chen Xiyao to hesitate before responding, but Feng Xue paid no heed and continued,

"The higher the notoriety and more widespread they are, the longer a Kaidan’s lifespan. However, as the stories of a Kaidan are forgotten, their lifespan reaches its end. For those with little notoriety, it’s like they’re born in the morning and die by night."

"So that’s why you..." Chen Xiyao suddenly seemed enlightened. Only then did she understand why Feng Xue had once urged her not to forget him, and the promise she made when leaving that world, was it not...

Chen Xiyao felt her mind was in complete chaos, but then she heard Feng Xue suddenly throw out a question:

"For Kaidan prone to disappearing due to being forgotten, what level of notoriety do you think would truly make them feel at ease?"

Chen Xiyao’s previously muddled mind instantly calmed, but she heard a slightly fatigued voice from Feng Xue on the other end:

"Let’s stop here for today; I need to get to work. If you want to chat with me, you’re always welcome. If they have more questions, let them first spread some martial arts... Hmm, expanding the Golden Bell Shield range is also fine."

"Wait..." Chen Xiyao wanted to say more, but the call wasn’t cut off; instead, as if something had just occurred to him, Feng Xue added,

"The profession is both power and constraint; once that’s understood, the authorities won’t worry about me having other intentions."

"Click, beep-beep-beep—"

As the busy signal came from the other end of the call, Chen Xiyao felt as though she had just engaged in an extreme sport, completely drained, while on the other side, the discussion within the Kaidan Countermeasure Bureau’s Communications Group had just begun...