195: Hu Xuan's news

“The apocalypse is coming, all spirits revel; two realms merge, one dominates; strange monsters rampage, humanity loses its way; heaven and earth overturn, ascending to immortality?”

Lu Chuan looked at the Old Man in confusion.

“What does this prophecy mean?”

Hu Xuan, with his hands behind his back, looked at the calligraphy and painting with a somewhat vacant gaze, lost in thought.

After a long while, he finally came back to his senses, shook his head, and said:

“I don’t know.”

Hearing this, Lu Chuan’s mouth twitched involuntarily.

You, Old Man, came up with such a seemingly intimidating prophecy, hyped up the atmosphere, and then ended with ‘I don’t know’?

Just as he was fiercely complaining in his heart, suddenly, an invisible force flicked his forehead.

“Ouch, ouch, ouch…”

Hu Xuan turned around and looked at Lu Chuan with a half-smile.

“You little rascal, you look quite well-behaved on the surface, but you’re really not honest at heart. Don’t think that just because you’re badmouthing this Old Man in your head, he doesn’t know.”

Lu Chuan gritted his teeth in frustration. Ever since he started his stall, apart from constantly being scammed by the system, things had been smooth sailing. Yet, he always got the short end of the stick in front of this Old Man.

But he couldn't beat him, and any hint of rebellion was immediately suppressed by a flick to the head from the Old Man, making him feel like crying inside.

Lu Chuan clutched his forehead, feeling desolate and speechless for a moment.

Hu Xuan looked at Lu Chuan’s expression, finding it odd, and wondered if he had gone too far.

“Ahem, anyway, listen carefully to what this Old Man has to say. What I’m about to tell you is very important.”

With that, he walked back to the round table, sat down, carefully chose his words, and continued:

“The prophecy is inscribed in oracle bone script on a stone tablet, which came from an unnamed tomb deep in the Ailao Mountains of Yunnan Province.”

Lu Chuan’s expression shifted slightly, and many exciting scenes from tomb raiding novels flashed through his mind. At the same time, his gaze towards the Old Man became strange. Could this Old Man be a tomb… ahem, stop, stop, or he’d get flicked on the head again.

Hu Xuan gave Lu Chuan an annoyed glance and continued:

“At that time, I went deep into the Ailao Mountains for some personal matters. There, I encountered a collapsed cliff and discovered that ancient tomb, long sealed and now exposed. Strangely, there were no coffins or similar items in the tomb, only a stone tablet.”

“It was as if the tomb was built specifically for the stone tablet.”

“Out of curiosity, I made a rubbing of the inscription on the stone tablet and found an old professor who studied oracle bone script. He pieced together the original meaning, and the translation is that prophecy.”

“Now, some of the contents recorded in the prophecy have already begun to show signs.”

Lu Chuan chuckled dryly, trying to hide his inner shock.

“Maybe it’s just a coincidence?”

Hu Xuan glanced at him and scoffed.

“Are you saying that some ancient people specifically built an ancient tomb from an unknown era, just to place a stone tablet inscribed with oracle bone script inside, with the purpose of playing a joke on future generations? And by an even greater coincidence, they accurately guessed what would happen in the future?”

Lu Chuan awkwardly rubbed his nose.

Hu Xuan shook his head, looking out at the darkness outside the shop, his gaze deep.

“Now, the signs of the two realms merging are already apparent. In our country, there are people carrying heavy burdens forward, so order still exists. But many places abroad are already in deep trouble, with frequent beast disasters, and more severe areas have reached the point of moral collapse.”

“If this situation continues, the peace and harmony within our country will eventually become a thing of the past.”

Lu Chuan was silent for a moment, listening to these words.

He wasn't a fool. Although he had very few channels for information, mostly learned from the internet, much of which was mixed with falsehoods, he still knew that the global situation was not optimistic.

That's why he had been working hard to become stronger, to prevent himself from once again losing everything he cherished due to his own powerlessness if that day truly came.

Glancing at Lu Chuan out of the corner of his eye, Hu Xuan saw that the groundwork was laid. He suddenly changed his tone from solemn to relaxed, saying:

“Fortunately, extraordinary people emerge in times of chaos. The world’s changes are certainly a crisis, but they also harbor considerable opportunities.”

“The problem of Gourmet Cells awakening has finally been solved by a young man named Ye Chen. Soon, a plan called ‘New Human’ will be launched nationwide!”

“At that time, with our country’s population base, as long as one in a thousand, no, one in ten thousand, or even one in a hundred thousand people awaken their Gourmet Cells, then, hmph hmph.”

“Even if foreign enemies invade, our nation’s blade will not be dull!”

Hu Xuan’s words were like a bombshell, causing Lu Chuan’s heart to surge and his expression to be utterly shocked.

“Are you saying that the country has actually been researching that… Gourmet Cells? And, there have already been results?”

Hu Xuan smiled and nodded.

Lu Chuan, receiving confirmation again, felt extremely complex inside.

For a moment, he had the illusion that the world was changing too fast while he was still stuck in his old ways.

After a while, he composed himself and sincerely thanked Hu Xuan.

“Old Sir, thank you for telling me so much. Speaking of which, besides being He Jingrui’s Old Dean, you must also hold a very important position in the government, right? I will definitely keep my mouth shut and not spread rumors.”

However, Hu Xuan’s lips curled into a slight, mocking smile as he said:

“Who told you I’m an important government figure?”

Now Lu Chuan was even more surprised.

“If you’re not, how do you know so much?”

Hu Xuan adjusted his ill-fitting clothes and laughed heartily.

“Maybe I’m a fugitive? After all, have you ever seen an important official who is so unkempt?”

“…”

Lu Chuan was dumbfounded and speechless for a moment.

Hu Xuan stood up, patted Lu Chuan’s shoulder, then walked out, chuckling as he went:

“You are on the right path, and you will certainly go further than me in the future. I’m very relieved that little Rui Rui is by your side. Remember what I told you today.”

Soon, his figure disappeared into the darkness outside the shop, leaving only his last words.

“As for my identity, it’s none of your business and won’t involve you. Strive to become stronger. At least, before the true upheaval of the era arrives, you’ll have a chance to struggle, instead of silently disappearing like a bubble.”

Lu Chuan came back to his senses, ran out of the shop, and looked around, but couldn’t see Hu Xuan anywhere.

“Who exactly is this Old Dean of He Jingrui? He knows so many things, his Gourmet Cells awakening rate is unbelievably high, and he can even command such powerful monsters…”

He stood there for a long time, then finally shook his head. Just as he was about to turn back into the shop, he saw He Jingrui emerge from the darkness, appearing before him.