Forty millenniums of cul.., p.402
Forty Millenniums of Cultivation, page 402
Chapter 596: Truth Cabinet |
"Although my late father's rashness is well known, he knew that he had to do everything cautiously because the conclusion was too shocking!
"By that time, my father had been the chief of the Burning Sun Tribe for many years; he was no longer just an ordinary warrior. Therefore, it was definitely inappropriate of him to declare his discovery without solid proof!"
The chief of the Giant Axe Tribe slowly nodded and said, "Indeed. Everything is just Chief Yan's speculation. It is quite natural that a child looks different from their parents. If a chief accuses another chief of being a space resident without valid proof, a war may break out between the two tribes!"
Yan Chihuo said, "That was exactly what my father thought. Therefore, he buried the secret in his heart and told nobody anything.
"A few years went by peacefully just like that, until Sha Yulan and her son arrived in the Furious Bears Tribe.
"The Burning Sun Tribe was better than bursting into fury just because of a widow and her son. But when my father thought of Xiong Wuji's suspicious identity, he got anxious and wanted to test Xiong Wuji with the matter!"
The chief of the Giant Axe Tribe nodded and frowned. "That explains a lot. I have been wondering why Chief Yan was so concerned about a woman from space, who did not even have the strength to catch a chicken, and her baby, who was still in his crib, that he even asked the three tribes to gather and force Xiong Wuji to kick them out. It nearly caused a riot!"
Yan Chihuo said, "My father has been a hero all his life. Even though he loathed the space residents, he wouldn't have asked for a woman's trouble. It was Xiong Wuji's attitude that he wanted to test.
"In the end, Xiong Wuji took full responsibility for the matter and even agreed to fight three experts from the three tribes in an arena. Although he won the battles in the end, my father grew warier of him!
"However, suspicious as my father might have been, Xiong Wuji had never done anything harmful to the interest of the Iron Plateau natives. My father was not sure whether he was unaware of his birth, considered himself to be a real man of Iron Plateau despite his birth, or was still lurking and concocting an earthshaking scheme!
"My father had to be more vigilant and started waiting and watching!
"Then, there were only several years until the next battle of apocalypse. All the tribes were preparing for the war actively. It would be even more inappropriate if my father brought up the issue recklessly, which might have divided the six tribes and even lead to a civil war!
"But after the battle of the apocalypse, Xiong Wuji put forward the motion of large-scale communication with space residents. My father couldn't help but doubt what his true purpose was, given everything that had happened in the past, and therefore strongly voted against the motion. He finally had enough of waiting and went to confront Xiong Wuji last night.
"Interrogated by him, Xiong Wuji admitted in the end that he had learned of his own birth from the mouth of Xiong Dachuan before his death more than ten years ago. It is the blood of space that has been flowing inside his veins!
"Even so, my father still never intended to reveal his true identity in public, because my father knew that Xiong Wuji's heroic performance in the battle of apocalypse was his indestructible armor. Unveiling him would definitely lead to the ultimate confrontation between the Burning Sun Tribe and the Furious Bears Tribe!
"Therefore, my father simply reminded Xiong Wuji that, as long as he abandoned the idea of meeting space residents and worked as the chief of the Furious Bears Tribe dutifully, my father would tell nobody the secret!
"But my father did not see through Xiong Wuji's personality at all. The man was brutal enough to agree with my father at the moment and immediately had him killed later!"
When Yan Chihuo finally finished his speech, he was crying so hard that he could barely talk anymore.
The hundred thousand people in the spacious camp fell into silence.
Unbelievable as the story that Yan Chihuo had told was, it was quite logical and explained a lot of things. Nobody could find any loopholes in it.
While observing Xiong Wuji's face, the chief of the Giant Axe Tribe said, "Yan Chihuo, can we read Chief Yan's last note in your hand in person?"
Yan Chihuo sobbed and said, "Such hidden script can only manifest once. Right now, the spiritual gas attached to the paper has all been consumed. There's nothing left! But I've scrutinized the paper when I read it. It was definitely my father's handwriting!"
The chief of the Giant Axe Tribe furrowed his brow even harder. "So to speak, you still don't have any solid proof?"
Yan Chihuo held his head high and glared at Xiong Wuji, his eyes burningly hot, as if he were hoping to bite some flesh off the murderer. He announced, "I swear with the head above my neck that everything I said is true! If you want proof, it's simple. Let's have the Truth Cabinet that has been enshrined in the Feathered Snakes Tribe delivered here and let Xiong Wuji stand in it. We'll simply ask whether or not he is a space resident. Everything will be settled!
"If Xiong Wuji dares to stand in the Truth Cabinet and pronounce 'I'm not a space resident', we will admit that the murderer is someone else and that we've wronged him. I will bend my knee and apologize to him and do whatever he wants me to do!
"If he doesn't have the guts to do that, it will be evidence that he has known his identity all the time, and that whatever I said just now is true!
"Xiong Wuji, do you or do you not dare to go into the Truth Cabinet? Answer me!"
Yan Chihuo was shouting louder and louder. The qi-trainers of the Burning Sun Tribe behind him were echoing him.
"Truth Cabinet!"
"Go to the Truth Cabinet!"
There were many times more qi-trainers on the Furious Bears Tribe's side, yet their spirits couldn't have been lower.
Most of them were looking at each in shock and panic. Unwilling to accept Yan Chihuo's accusation, they were all staring at Xiong Wuji, hoping that he could give a powerful rebuttal immediately or even prove his innocence in the Truth Cabinet to wash off such shameless slander!
Wu Mayan held Li Yao's hand tight and explained, his eyes red, "The Truth Cabinet is a piece of powerful magical equipment that was created before the apocalypse. It is said that the magical equipment can test whether or not someone is lying by monitoring the changes in their heartbeat and pulse as well as the waves of the soul. It has been proven that the results are absolutely precise!
"However, the operation of the Truth Cabinet is very complicated. It requires a large quantity of resources, too. Therefore, it has never been used randomly and is now sealed in the temple of the Feathered Snakes Tribe!"
Gazing at Xiong Wuji, the chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe had a grave expression on her face, her high-pitched voice turning low and deep. "Chief Xiong, you've heard Yan Chihuo's case clearly. Generally speaking, it is very unsuitable to test whether or not the chief of a tribe is speaking the truth with magical equipment. But the accusation is too appalling and seriously jeopardizes the relationship between the six tries!
"Do you have any solid proof to answer Yan Chihuo's accusations, Chief Xiong?
"If you cannot provide evidence, either, then the Feathered Snakes Tribe strongly suggest that Chief Xiong go to the Truth Cabinet to prove that you are not a space resident!"
The chief of the Giant Axe Tribe said solemnly, "The Giant Axe Tribe seconds the suggestion. Such an absurd accusation is a huge insult to the Furious Bears Tribe. If Chief Xiong proves that he is not a space resident in the Truth Cabinet, the Giant Axe Tribe is willing to provide thirty percent of our trophies as compensation!"
"Xiong Wuji, if you are not a space resident, I'll chop off my head and give it to you as my apology!" Infuriated, Yan Chihuo slapped his own neck so hard that it turned red.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for Xiong Wuji's reply.
Xiong Wuji's face was twitching violently. He gritted his teeth and said, "I'm willing to go to the Truth Cabinet to prove that I did not kill Chief Yan or ask anyone else to kill him!"
"No!"
Yan Chihuo bellowed, "Only the simplest true-or-false questions can be completely examined by the Truth Cabinet! There are many methods to bypass the detection of the Truth Cabinet if the question is too complicated!
"For example, you could've made a deal with your accomplices long ago that, as long as you cough or blink your eyes on certain conditions, they would immediately carry out the annihilation operation!
"Such an assertion as 'I did not kill him or ask anybody to kill him' is too ambiguous and very easy to circumvent the investigation of the Truth Cabinet!
"If you are really innocent, just go to the Truth Cabinet and declare to the world that you are not a space resident! I dare you!"
The chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe nodded and said, "Yan Chihuo is right. The Truth Cabinet can monitor the heartbeat, flow of blood, rhythm of spiritual gas, and vibration of the soul. It is absolutely precise.
"However, it is a tool after all and can be deceived by complicated questions. If you mix one deceptive sentence within ten true sentences, the remaining nine sentences will still be true, but the meaning of your statement might be entirely changed!
"Chief Xiong, now that you are willing to go to the Truth Cabinet, just a simple declaration 'I am not a space resident' will be perfect, right? As long as you prove your innocence, the Feathered Snakes Tribe is also willing to offer thirty percent of our trophies as compensation for the offence to the Furious Bears Tribe!"
Yan Xibei had been listening to the heated debate in silence all the time. Finally, he opened his mouth. "It is the Burning Sun Tribe that calls for the test. If the Giant Axe Tribe and the Feathered Snakes Tribe are both willing to offer thirty percent of their trophies as compensation, then, on behalf of the Burning Sun Tribe, I announce that, if Chief Xiong proves himself not a space resident, we will bring out fifty percent of our trophies as compensation for the Furious Bears Tribe!"
Humming sounds burst out again in the crowd when they heard Yan Xibei's words.
The compensation that the three tribes were proposing was even more than the trophies that the Furious Bears Tribe had been allocated previously. It was evident enough of their integrity.
There was sorrow on Yan Xibei's face. He sighed. "This incident is the misfortune of the Burning Sun Tribe as well as all the six tribes. Now, if we want to settle the conflict shortly, we must prove Chief Xiong's innocence as soon as possible. A test in the Truth Cabinet is the best choice at hand! Heaven Wolves, Silver Moon, what do you have to say?"
The Heaven Wolves Tribe and the Silver Moon Tribe were in a better relationship with the Furious Bears Tribe, but with everything coming to this point, what else could they do?
The two chiefs looked at each other and tried to convince Xiong Wuji. "Chief Xiong, what's happened has happened. There's no other solution. Just go to the Truth Cabinet and prove your innocence! Rest assured, after you prove that you are not a space resident, we will make sure that the insult your just suffered is properly apologized for. In the meantime, we will provide ten percent of our trophies as compensation!"
"What's the big deal about the Truth Cabinet?"
"Chief, just go to the Truth Cabinet! How is it possible that you are a space resident? Not in the world!"
"Chief, show them that you are an out-and-out man of Iron Plateau in the Truth Cabinet!"
On the Furious Bears Tribe's side, many qi-trainers were shouting and yelling, not believing that Xiong Wuji was a space resident no matter what.
Xiong Wuji lowered his head and gave no response.
Like a black hole, he absorbed all the rays of light near him. He was silent for half a minute, before he suddenly raised his head again.
Desperation was written all over the face of the best warrior of the six tribes on Iron Plateau, when he said in a tone resembling that of a ghost, "That will be unnecessary. I am a space resident."
Chapter 597: Too Exaggerated |
Many qi-trainers of the Burning Sun Tribe, the Feathered Snakes Tribe, and the Giant Axe Tribe had almost already believed the story when Yan Chihuo told it so convincingly, and Xiong Wuji had kept silent all that time. Now that Xiong Wuji had admitted it himself, a super-compressed True Qi container seemed to be exploding all around him. The three tribes were in an utter mess right now.
Even the qi-trainers of the Giant Axe Tribe, who were most famous for their strictness, were yelling and cursing.
The qi-trainers of the Burning Sun Tribe were all jumping to their feet, cursing him.
On the Furious Bears Tribe's side, everybody was devastated. They could not believe that the pillar of their tribe was a space resident who had known his identity for more than ten years ago but kept it a secret the whole time.
The qi-trainers who cursed Yan Chihuo and swore that Xiong Wuji was in no way a space resident were all rendered speechless, blushing.
The chief of the Giant Axe Tribe and the chief of the Feathered Snakes Tribe sighed softly. Even the chiefs of the Heaven Wolves Tribe and the Silver Moon Tribe were shaking their head, not knowing what to do next.
Li Yao and Wu Mayan were still in the crowd. Wu Mayan had been simmering all the time, but now that he had heard that his foster father came from space just like him and saw his foster father being lambasted by so many people, he couldn't hold himself back any longer. Throwing off Li Yao's hand, he leapt upwards to Xiong Wuji's side before he shouted aloud, "Shut up!
"Father Xiong is a space resident. So what? That's no proof that Father Xiong killed anybody! Why are you cursing him?
"Regardless of whether he is a space resident or an Iron Plateau native, Father Xiong has always been a great hero! He just slayed a calamity-level beast in the battle against the apocalypse a few days ago! He is a good guy, not a bad man!
"And you—"
Wu Mayan turned around and glared at everyone in the Furious Bears Tribe, his hands on his hips, "Are you all deaf? Do you not hear that they are cursing our chief?
"Just ask yourself. Was Father Xiong not at the forefront of every battle and hunting trip? How many of you have been saved by Father Xiong before? Did Father Xiong not give you the meat and the intact bones and himself the worst materials when he was distributing trophies? For how many years has Father Xiong been the chief? Just go to his house and see if Father Xiong has bought anything of any value!
"In the battle of the apocalypse a few days ago, Father Xiong lost one hand! If Father Xiong hadn't fought so hard, the giant worm could've collapsed the entire canyon and buried all of you!
"Right now, just because the blood of the space residents flows in Father Xiong's veins, you've stopped believing him and think that he is a murderer?"
He jumped and bellowed. Many qi-trainers of the Furious Bears Tribe was blushing in embarrassment.
Somebody suddenly shouted in a corner of the Burning Sun Tribe's camp, "That little bastard is in Xiong Wuji's gang! They are both space residents. Space residents murdered our chief!"
Hearing such words, the qi-trainers of the Burning Sun Tribe grew even angrier.
"Xiao Yan!"
Sha Yulan was so concerned about her son that she crawled up to the heavy tank without even thinking and stood in everybody's sight.
Many people were woken up by Wu Mayan's words. He was right. Just because Xiong Wuji was a space resident did not mean he killed the chief of the Burning Sun Tribe!
Whatever the truth was, he was still the chief of the Furious Bears Tribe right now, and he represented the dignity of their tribe. How could they allow other people to insult him just like that?
This was Furious Bears City, territory of the Furious Bears Tribe. Whoever the murderer was, the Furious Bears Tribe should be in charge of the investigation and the trial!
Immediately, a lot of qi-trainers of the Furious Bears Tribe triggered their spiritual gas and lined up beside Xiong Wuji.
Many other qi-trainers had formed battle formations and tried to push back the formations of the other three tribes.
The two parties were shoving and cursing each other. It was quite a mess. Many people had unsheathed their weapons. Blood was about to be spilled.
"Stop!"
Thunder suddenly seemed to burst out on the ground. Overwhelming soundwaves broke out of Xiong Wuji's chest, and the intimidating aura around him reached every corner of the field. Everybody felt that they had been hammered right in the head, and their ears were all ringing.
Xiong Wuji took a long breath. His voice was sent to everyone's ears like rumbling thunder with his extremely powerful spiritual gas, as if he was pushing his words into everyone's earholes hard with a pair of invisible, giant hands!
"I, Xiong Wuji, am indeed a space resident who was picked up by Xiong Dachuan beside the Black Tooth River more than forty years ago! I admit that part!
"However, over the last forty years, I've always considered myself to be a real Iron Plateau native, even after I learned of my birth!
"I've done nothing wrong to Iron Plateau. I want to get in touch with the space residents for the future of Iron Plateau, too!
"I can say confidently that I deserve my late foster father Xiong Dachuan and all the compatriots of Iron Plateau!
"I did not kill Chief Yan. There must be a dreadful scheme behind all this! My own death or disgrace matters little, but the scheme might put the future of Iron Plateau at risk!
"Right now, the six tribes of Iron Plateau must be more united and find the one behind the scheme, instead of fighting and killing each other!
"I know that I will be the prime suspect anyway after I reveal my identity. The brothers of the Burning Sun Tribe have every reason to doubt me!
"As a space resident, it's inappropriate for me to be the chief of the Furious Bears Tribe anymore!
"I hereby announce that I, Xiong Wuji, will no longer be the chief of the Furious Bears Tribe. The affairs in my tribe handled by me will now be handed over to the three elders of my tribe until the new chief is selected!
