Chapter 10
Blocked Memories
The Heart-Dream World consists of six landmasses. The Oldwest Continent is located in the west, the north is the Snow Land, the east is the Eastern Land, and the south is the Ancient Land; the four major continents mentioned above surround the Mixed Original landmass, which is also called the Holy Land.
The last landmass is Gold-Silver, tilting toward the southeast; this land area is separated from the Ancient Land by a vast sea and is isolated from the world. The Thunder God is heading toward the Mixed Original Holy Land, and it has been three days since the airship departed.
Vo Phong is patrolling the Thunder God. Having groped his way around for two days, he is already familiar with the paths back and forth. The main shaft of the airship is divided into several decks, and he is now on the sixth deck.
The control center is located here; it continuously extends, dividing the sixth deck into two main corridors, each with multiple rooms of varying functions. The accommodation and dining areas for the crew members are concentrated on the fifth deck.
The crew members live together, and the people who possess the privilege of private rooms are only the princess, the Sacred Envoy's guards, Mr. Tay Minh, and Supreme Commander Nhat Long. The red-haired guy personally does not like the Thunder God. Just thinking about the scenario of walking back and forth until his legs are exhausted all year round inside this giant chunk of iron and steel makes him want to get sick.
Feeling bored, Vo Phong stops and concentrates his attention… on reading a book. When he first heard someone mention it, he thought it was a joke, but he is truly reading it. The reason is because Vermin discovered that Vo Phong's basic knowledge has a severe deficiency, first of all being the issue of the Luminous Matter.
The red-haired guy clearly knows about The Eternity, yet foolishly asked: "What the hell is Mixed Original?" When asked where the Skyborne Empire is, he hummed and hawed to make up nonsense. Immediately, Vermin threw Vo Phong a book called "Heart-Dream World - Basic Knowledge," while demanding that he supplement his own cultural knowledge.
Staring at the densely packed text of the history section, Vo Phong closes the book in annoyance. Seeing the author's name written on the cover—Diem Ta, he mutters to curse that old fellow named Diem Ta for being absolutely crazy about words. But for some reason, he opens the book after that and looks for the religion section. On the first page of the religion section is an illustration of the ancient tree called Eternity, accompanied by a brief historical introduction:
"The Eternity is located upon the Mixed Original, its roots penetrate every layer of soil and rock, and the five longest branch-root-whiskers spread toward five directions, forming five towers that support the celestial dome, scattered across the various landmasses. The Eternity has created all life on the Heart-Dream World, from humans and animals to airborne monsters. The Eternity protects all living beings; people revere and call it 'The Mother'. The Eternity is the most sacred religious symbol among all faiths, regardless of skin color or ethnicity. One thousand years ago, the five Ghost Kings rose up and seized the five towers that support the celestial dome. The Eternity selected eight people from multiple regions; they dedicated their youth, strength, and wisdom to the cause of sealing the Ghost Kings' souls, guarding the peace of the world. After they died, they did not return to the ocean of souls—the Soul-gathering Ocean, but instead became the immortal souls protecting The Eternity, known as the Eight Great Guardians."
"It only needed a scene of the male lead gnawing at the female lead's beak to be perfect."
Vo Phong snorts. Through these magnificent words, The Eternity appears with the posture of an almighty being. But to the red-haired guy, The Eternity is merely an unconscious, unfeeling tree. If it could protect all living beings, this world would not have generated the Garbage Market. He is not a child who believes in fairy tales.
- Wow, reading a book! Quite industrious, aren't you?
Tieu Ho's clear and loud voice suddenly interrupts Vo Phong's thoughts. He is just about to dodge, but is blocked by Tieu Ho. Vo Phong finds that she has changed after their first conflict: still that head of blonde hair, but on both sides of her shoulders many small braids are woven, the zipper of her Sacred Envoy's guard uniform shirt is wide open, and inside is a bright red plaid short skirt.
Vo Phong glances at her once, his gaze indicating that he is disturbed. He wants to leave, but whichever direction he walks in, Tieu Ho blocks that side. The red-haired guy clears his throat:
- Sorry, I have to work.
- What work? - Tieu Ho wrinkles her nose. - Hey, it's not cold, why do you always wear a hat?
These past few days, Vo Phong has been stubbornly wearing his hood to cover his face, sticking to it and not letting go because he is terrified that Tieu Ho will recognize his thief face. The girl looks to the side:
- What book is this? 'Heart-Dream World - Basic Knowledge'?! Oh, The Eternity, how old are you that you still read this kind of book?
Tieu Ho bursts out laughing. Vo Phong's face feels burning hot, and he says angrily:
- I read books only for pastime! Excuse me, I am busy!
Vo Phong leaves, and Tieu Ho follows him. Her tone is sweet yet detached:
- On National Day, a rogue pickpocketed my wallet!
Vo Phong feigns pity:
- Really?! Then you should be careful, thieves are too terrifying!
Tieu Ho widens her eyes, her voice icy cold:
- Yes! And that guy has red hair!
- Such a coincidence? - Vo Phong pretends - So ridiculous! It turns out someone likes to dye their hair red!
Tieu Ho gnashes her teeth:
- The interesting thing is, that guy's voice is exactly the same as yours! Take off your hat!
Tieu Ho extends her hand. Vo Phong flings her hand away, turns around, and runs. Tieu Ho chases after him. The red-haired guy shouts loudly like a victim:
- Help! Murder! Murder!
- What nonsense are you talking? Blabbermouth guy! Stop!
The two chase each other to the end of the corridor. Suddenly, Vo Phong sees an old man wearing a white cloak passing by, who is exactly Grand Sacred Envoy Tay Minh.
The red-haired guy hastily stops his steps, Tieu Ho does not have time to stop in her tracks, and in a flurry, she rubs her face directly against the red-haired guy's back. The old man wrinkles his forehead and scrutinizes the two young people. Confessing without being questioned, Tieu Ho quickly explains:
- Sorry, Father! But everything is on him! He...
Without waiting for Tieu Ho to finish, the red-haired guy cuts her off:
- She wants me to take off my hat and I refuse, so she chases and beats me!
Tieu Ho is so angry that she looks as if she can spout smoke:
- Who beats you? I haven't even touched you yet! Lying words!
From beginning to end, the Grand Sacred Envoy remains silent. Tay Minh rubs his forehead, seemingly unable to bear this noisy quarrel any longer, and finally says to Tieu Ho:
- Stop arguing, daughter. Forget it, hurry to the meeting room, the princess is calling you.
After getting rescued by Tay Minh, the red-haired guy politely bows to the Grand Sacred Envoy, then turns around and runs. He turns his head back, winking playfully at Tieu Ho.
She looks at him, her heart filled with anger, clenching her fists, wishing she could eat Vo Phong without even spitting out the bones. On the way, Vo Phong encounters deputy captain Vermin and hastily asks:
- Hey, do you know Tieu Ho? That big-mouthed blonde girl, dressed colorfully like a chameleon?
Vermin nods. Through his words, Vo Phong gains a brief understanding of Tieu Ho. She is the same age as the princess and was personally appointed as a Sacred Envoy's guard by the emperor three years ago.
However, Vermin does not know Tieu Ho's birth background. Mr. Tay Minh calls her "daughter," but in reality, the two have no blood relation. It turns out she and the princess have the same foster father.
- She is very fierce. By 'fierce', I mean Tieu Ho is very powerful. Professional military men cannot beat her. You? One minute later, she will make you grind the dirt with your teeth. She is a swordsmaster who uses fire-intent, a fire-spouting monster. If you don't want to be roasted and cooked, don't touch that chameleon, buddy.
The red-haired guy shudders all over, blaming himself for provoking the wrong person, and blames The Eternity for throwing a misfortune star onto his head. He mutters:
- Of course I won't touch her! What other madman dares to touch that fire-spouting demon?
- A lot, buddy! - Vermin shakes his head and laughs - In Flying City, there are dozens of such madmen lining up in front of her shop. Oh, right, she has a very famous pastry shop!
Vo Phong widens his eyes. If there really is a crowd of crazy people lining up to request a date with Tieu Ho, the world is full of strange stories waiting for him to explore.
On July 8th, the Thunder God arrives at the Mixed Original Dock at dusk. The spaceship flies over a silent sea that has no waves all year round, which is called the Silent Sea—one of the nine great oceans of the world. For thousands of years, the seawater of the Silent Sea has never surged onto the beaches around the land even once.
White-yellow sand spreads all around, squeezing into the foot of the mountains, silently reinforcing the mountains that are as majestic as city walls. On the other side of the mountains, many forests extend one after another to the end of the horizon. This place is the Holy Land, the core, and the source of the Heart-Dream World.
According to "Heart-Dream World - Basic Knowledge", the Mixed Original Land belongs to the Aurora tribe—a group of people who have existed since the beginning of the world.
They are the only ones who understand The Eternity, grasping the changes of the world through The Mother. Most people in the world respect this tribe, regarding them as envoys who carry the will of the Holy God.
The Aurora people value natural balance and do not want scientific civilization to step onto the holy land. Therefore, the Mixed Original Land still maintains its original appearance after thousands of years. However, Vo Phong sees the silhouettes of several watchtowers with modern architectural styles, which might be built by various countries to protect the holy land.
The shadow of the Thunder God slowly glides over the forest filled with greenery. Standing on the corridor of the sixth floor of the spaceship, Vo Phong excitedly appreciates the scenery. Until recently, he thought that the Holy Land was nothing more than a fabrication. Vermin pats his shoulder:
- Don't forget we still have work. Let's go, the spaceship is about to land.
The Thunder God flies around the mountains, lowers its altitude, and lands in front of the forest edge. The engine of the spaceship rumbles like echoing thunder, the strong wind blows through the treetops, making them tilt and sending wild beasts scattering.
Vo Phong follows the deputy captain to the belly of the spaceship, where the princess and three guards are already waiting. The red-haired fellow expects the princess's smile as usual, but it is in vain. In her eyes, there is only the mission, and no free time to handle trivial matters.
The only person who notices Vo Phong is Tieu Ho. The girl glares at him, reaching out to yank Vo Phong's face-covering hood. The red-haired fellow maintains his distance, guarding against her as if wary of a wild beast.
The sound of the engine calms down and then completely stops. The hatch door at the belly of the spaceship opens, and outside the door, a person is waiting for the princess and her party.
This fellow's skin is unbelievably white. A wooden necklace hangs around his neck, two blue stripes extend all the way from his cheekbones to his chin, and his long ears are pointed, twitching from time to time like animal ears. "Is it a 'human'?" Vo Phong asks himself. Vermin suddenly leans his head toward Vo Phong and whispers to him:
"That is an Aurora person!"
The Aurora person bows to the princess:
- Sacred Envoy Luc Chau, welcome back to the motherland.
The princess opens her arms and kneels down with a very respectful attitude:
- This child has returned to the side of the great Mother of The Eternity!
The Aurora person looks at Luc Chau's expression and nods with satisfaction. He looks her up and down, then asks:
- Why didn't Grand Sacred Envoy Tay Minh come? I heard he was traveling with the princess?!
- Teacher Tay Minh is busy recruiting Sacred Envoys in the Skyborne Empire. My teacher apologizes to the Clan Chief. In a few days, he will rush over to join us.
In fact, the Grand Sacred Envoy is hiding on the Thunder God, sleeping soundly. According to tradition, when a Sacred Envoy comes to the holy land, they must meet the Clan Chief of the Aurora tribe, and then go on a pilgrimage to meet The Eternity. But Tay Minh covers himself with the blanket, says he is tired, and entrusts his student to tell a lie for him. Perhaps, only the Grand Sacred Envoy is uninterested in The Mother.
After listening to the princess's explanation, that Aurora person nods in agreement and then leads the way for the Skyborne party. On the way, Luc Chau asks him:
- There are two 'heretics' traveling with me; can they stand before The Mother? - Then, she points at Vo Phong and Vermin - They are not my guards, but they are assistants. In the Heart-Dream World, everyone wants to see The Mother once. Can the Aurora tribe accommodate this?
The red-haired fellow does not refute the princess's words. He does not like it, nor does he believe it, but he also wants to witness The Eternity with his own eyes. That Aurora person thinks for a long time, then answers:
- This question must be referred to Mr. Chrono Seer; I cannot decide.
Holding a torch emitting the smell of oil in his hand, that Aurora person leads everyone through the dense forest. The thick grass beneath their feet emits the primitive aura from ten thousand years ago. Darkness envelops, nocturnal animals leave their hiding places one after another, and dozens of green eyes flash with light. The ground is covered with withered leaves, making rustling sounds due to the movement of animals. Vo Phong feels a bit creeped out, his back soaked with cold sweat. He talks to Vermin to shake off his nervousness:
- Why does the princess call us 'heretics'?
- Only the Aurora people, Sacred Envoys, and the Sacred Envoy's guards have the right to meet The Eternity. People like you and me do not belong to the above three categories, so the Aurora tribe calls us 'heretics'. - Vermin answers.
During the journey, Vo Phong hears the sounds of countless wild animals, but not a single one approaches the crowd. The group marches for about half an hour and stops in front of a cave entrance. Another Aurora person comes out of the cave to converse with the guide. They communicate in a strange language, whose pronunciation is based on breathing and nasal sounds. Vo Phong sticks out his tongue:
- What language is so terrifying?
Vermin says:
- The person who guides us is named Kh'srak. He requests permission to take us to the Aurora village.
- You understand what they are saying? - Vo Phong is surprised.
- A little bit. The Aurora language is a bit difficult to learn. I spent half a year mastering it.
- What is the name of that fellow leading the way? Stuffy Nose, huh?
Kh'srak's ears twitch slightly like an animal's ears. He suddenly turns around to look at Vo Phong, answering gently:
- My name is not "Stuffy Nose", but Kh'srak. You lift your tongue upward, emphasize the first syllable, and then exhale.
Everyone looks at Vo Phong with displeased eyes, especially Luc Chau. Ridiculing the pronunciation of the Aurora people is a great taboo; the red-haired fellow's joke is in the wrong place. Vermin whispers in his ear:
- I forgot. I haven't reminded you yet, their ears are extremely sharp!
The party enters the cave. The cave is quite spacious, and countless twinkling floating objects fly in swarms, emitting a brilliant pure white light that illuminates the path. At first, Vo Phong thinks they are fireflies, but they are actually not. These objects are perfectly round, with tiny glowing wings emerging from their bodies. He asks Vermin, and the deputy captain answers:
- They are "Sacred Fairies", the souls of the Sacred Envoys. After death, Sacred Envoys transform into souls that protect The Eternity, and these souls are called "Sacred Fairies". Sacred Fairies float above the Mixed Original Land, providing the energy that maintains the existence of the holy land. Why do you ask about this? Did you read the book I gave you?
Vo Phong lowers his head and grins with a bitter smile. In the distance, several Sacred Fairies flutter their wings in Luc Chau's hand. She affectionately strokes them with her fingertips, then lets them fly away. After death, she also transforms into a soul and returns to the Mixed Original Land, which is the end of a Sacred Envoy's life.
After walking for a long time, people see a stream of light shining into the tunnel. The crowd passes through that stream of light, and Kh'srak says:
- Welcome, everyone, to the village of the Aurora people.
What unfolds before them is the scene inside the mountain. Except for the princess and Chien Tu, everyone else looks infatuated, their gazes seemingly wanting to devour this scene.
An ancient forest of snow-ice color grows out from the mountain cliffs and stone walls, intertwining together, with each tree hanging down silver-gray leaves that fully display old age.
Various kinds of small trees surround each ancient ice tree, each one shining brightly and possessing a unique color; there are flowers mixed with red and orange, brilliant like the setting sun, and also purple vines hanging down like long hair, gently swaying.
Vo Phong tries to touch those vines, and they instantly turn into light pink. The Aurora village is this very forest, where thousands of houses are built by hollowing out tree trunks. To facilitate transportation, people build countless bridges woven from vines and wild flowers. The women of the Aurora tribe walk on the bridges, sizing up this group of strangers with scrutinizing eyes.
Vo Phong notices that every single one of them has a beautiful face and a well-proportioned figure. Vermin says they inherit the beauty of the Goddess of Prophecy, and Vo Phong is full of jealousy toward the men of the Aurora tribe.
Kh'srak takes the party to the largest ancient tree in the village, which is also the residence of the Clan Chief. After waiting for a long time, the Clan Chief comes out, his face full of wrinkles, his loose gray clothes fluttering unpredictably with his old steps, and a string of copper-colored metal beads hangs around his neck, making a clacking sound of collision. Unlike the young Aurora people, his ears are longer and larger, just like those of a herbivorous animal. Luc Chau bows and salutes:
- Clan Chief Mouyn!
Vo Phong closes his mouth, desperately holding back the laughter that almost makes his intestines burst, because the name Mouyn sounds a lot like "urgent feces". Clan Chief Mouyn returns the salute and says:
- Welcome, Sacred Envoy Luc Chau, back to the motherland! I received the letter from The Sacred Abyss, and am very glad that you shoulder this mission. However, before meeting The Mother, everyone needs to rest for a while. The pilgrimage journey back to The Mother is not easy.
- Yes. - Luc Chau answers. - Clan Chief, I have a request. There are two heretics here; although they are not guards, they will follow me throughout the entire journey. I beg you to allow them to face The Eternity as well.
Clan Chief Mouyn answers gently:
- Anyone who has a heart of reverence for The Mother deserves respect, but since they are heretics, they must undergo an inspection. This is the rule. I hope the princess understands. Hey Kh'srak, take these two heretics to see the Chrono Seer.
The princess's party stays behind, and the two "heretics" follow Kh'srak to an ancient tree by the edge of the steep cliffs. That place is the home of the Chrono Seer, which is no different from the other houses in the village, except that piles of copper-colored metal rings hang over the entrance.
There is no wind on the mountain, yet several rings vibrate weirdly from time to time, making Vo Phong feel a bit scared. In front of demons and ghosts, he is not the kind of person with a healthy heart.
The Earth Element deputy captain enters first, and Vo Phong waits outside. The red-haired fellow is somewhat restless, because he hears Kh'srak say this is a test of moral standing, and if his worthiness is not enough, he can never get close to The Eternity. Recalling the past, he thinks his own past record is simply worse than terrible.
Stealing, fighting, and dining and dashing, stealing Tieu Ho's wallet—this pile of crimes is enough to make him stay in prison to the point where wood-boring insects chew the cangue until it rots [1], and his moral standing is basically a nice, round zero.
After a while, Vermin walks out, his expression calm:
- I am allowed to meet The Eternity. You go in.
The red-haired fellow feels surprised; he thinks that with Vermin's face, Vermin should never think of meeting The Mother in this lifetime. When it is his turn, he walks over, his heart beating like a drum.
He passes through the arched door on the tree trunk and finds the "house" is quite small, the smell of tobacco leaves that is a bit choking to the throat lingers in the space, and all around are lit candles emitting a strange purple light.
A person sits cross-legged in the center of a circle of candles, wearing many copper-colored strings of beads on his hands and neck. He is advanced in age, older than Mouyn, short in stature, with long and large ears, just like those of a bat that can speak human language. He is the Chrono Seer. As soon as he sees Vo Phong, the Chrono Seer speaks:
- Are you worried?
Vo Phong dares not answer, and the Chrono Seer continues:
- I am Chrono Seer K'jun. K'jun, remember, not "puppy". I know what the word "puppy" means in your human world.
The red-haired fellow jumps up. Indeed, he associates the Chrono Seer's name with the word "puppy", as if Mr. Chrono Seer can read his mind. Vo Phong stammers and hums:
- Sorry, I am not familiar with... the Aurora language... it is too difficult to pronounce. So you are the Chrono Seer? - He hastily changes the subject - What does Chrono Seer mean? Is it similar to a magician?
- In a certain sense, I am like a magician in your human world. But in another sense, I am not. - The Chrono Seer answers. - We do not participate in combat, although we can do so when necessary. We are not limited to the Five Elements of humans, but seek a deeper and more multi-layered meaning. Formerly, there were many Chrono Seers, and there were also Chrono Seers among humans, but now there are none. I am not sure if any other Chrono Seer is alive besides me.
Vo Phong breathes a sigh of relief; the old Chrono Seer fellow seems to forgive him for those messy associations just now. Mr. Chrono Seer invites Vo Phong to enter the circle of candles, and the two sit opposite each other. K'jun says:
- Stretch out your left hand.
Vo Phong hesitates for a moment, then does as the other party says. K'jun puts his hand on Vo Phong's hand, softly murmuring a dialect. As the surrounding candles burn quietly, a strong smell of medicine rushes into his brain, making Vo Phong's consciousness blur for a moment. Instantly, thousands of images emerge in his mind.
Vo Phong sees himself patrolling on the Thunder God, cultivating in the military camp, carrying a heavy money bag on his shoulder, his shoes sliding on the steel rails and grinding out countless sparks, being in the Garbage Market, stealing Tieu Ho's wallet, and fleeing from the crowd on National Day.
These images are like movie scenes playing backward at an astonishing speed. The red-haired fellow wants to vomit. But this is not all. An image of a stormy night suddenly appears, and Vo Phong sees a man in a military uniform who had thrown him into the Garbage Market before turning around and leaving.
Right at this moment, a severe headache strikes. He falls down, and his body feels as if it is about to split into pieces.
Only after five to ten minutes does Vo Phong manage to get up. He pants heavily. Chrono Seer K'jun shakes his head:
- Young man, you are quite interesting.
- Sir... what do you know?
K'jun says slowly:
- I just checked your memory. You are not a soldier. To be precise, you are a thief in Flying City.
Mr. Chrono Seer explains that a Chrono Seer has the ability to penetrate another person's mind and see all the images this person has seen in his lifetime. From there, the Chrono Seer knows whom that person has contacted and how he grew up, thereby deducing his past.
Vo Phong's five years of life spent in the Garbage Market are completely seen through by K'jun. The red-haired fellow's face freezes instantly. He lunges toward the Chrono Seer, begging repeatedly:
- Please do not reveal it! I beg you! Otherwise, I will stay in prison until wood-boring insects chew the cangue until it rots! I can choose not to go to see The Eternity, but please absolutely do not reveal it! I have a lot of money, we split it in half, okay?
- The Aurora people never value material things. - K'jun answers.
Vo Phong is dumbfounded. The Chrono Seer suddenly smiles slightly:
- Your past, I will not tell anyone, because memories are sacred to everyone. As for meeting The Eternity, just go! To be honest, any heretic who comes here, I allow them to meet The Mother.
The red-haired fellow breathes a sigh of relief, thanking the great grace of The Eternity for loving this heaven-struck and god-punished child of hers. Suddenly, he stands up and says excitedly:
- You can see other people's memories, can't you? Then please look at them for me! I don't remember anything from five years ago! Can you see them?
K'jun shakes his head:
- Something is blocking that memory, not wanting me to know. This is not magic, but a product of technology. It is in your head... - K'jun lightly taps his forehead - … and it has imprisoned all memories from five years ago. If it were a forbidden curse or magic, I could revoke it. But with this kind of machine, I can only surrender.
The red-haired fellow says dumbfoundedly:
- A machine? In my head? In the brain?
- Correct.
Vo Phong presses further:
- Then, who sent me into the military? Do you know?
- Memories are based on what your eyes see. I cannot see what you cannot see.
- Then what about that soldier? Who is that? Why did that person throw me into the Garbage Market? Why treat me like this?
K'jun shakes his head:
- I do not know. If you do not know who you are, I cannot know exactly who you are. You must know yourself. How could others know you? Right?
Vo Phong holds his breath, his mind a complete blank. A sense of loneliness invades and surrounds the red-haired fellow's thoughts. Leaving the Chrono Seer's home, he cannot smile.
He ignores the words of Vermin and Kh'srak and does not pay attention to the princess. He can think of nothing more. Everything before his eyes becomes blurry, gradually drifting away, as if it does not exist at all.
Who threw him into the Garbage Market?
What the hell is inserted into his skull?
Note
[1]It means dying in prison without knowing when you'll ever be released.