Apocalypse Forecast

He was still a Mountain Ghost and also worked as an apprentice-level Alchemist. Even though he specialized in Metallography, he still had some understanding of other common materials.

After realizing that Huai Shi wasn’t some clueless newbie who knew absolutely nothing, the middle-aged man’s expression relaxed somewhat.

”Right.”

He took a big gulp straight from the bottle, wiped his mouth, and sighed in displeasure. ”It’s growing everywhere. This year it’s particularly annoying and unusually plentiful... fucking plentiful.”

Invasive species.

Huai Shi could understand. While this stuff was useful, if not managed properly, it could grow everywhere and even encroach upon the living space of other plants.

”Isn’t there a local species that could target it?” he asked.

”The damn fools in the Ecological Department introduced new species,” he grumbled, ”and ended up ousting a large portion of the local scale insects. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be so troublesome this year.”

At this point, the middle-aged man awkwardly slapped his forehead and extended his hand to Huai Shi. ”How should I address you?”

”Huai Shi.”

Huai Shi shook his hand and learned his name. ”Ali. Just call me Ali. I’m sorry for mistaking you for some uncultured ignoramus.”

”No problem.”

Huai Shi could understand why the man might have mistaken him for someone who relied solely on his looks, and he didn’t mind. Instead, he asked directly, ”I heard you have work available here.”

”Yes.” Ali nodded, pointing at the Dragon Oak. ”Dealing with this.”

”You mean, getting rid of all the Dragon Oak here?”

”We can’t keep up with pinching them off.” Ali shook his head. ”Those damned things are growing like crazy now. Even if we mobilized all the Sublimators in the Forestry Association, we couldn’t handle it. We can only try to find a way to re-cultivate its Natural Enemy first.”

As he spoke, he pulled a pair of glasses from his pocket, put them on, then took out a notebook. He flipped it open, scrutinized the list of tasks inside, and asked, ”What kind of work are you looking for?”

”Odd jobs are fine,” Huai Shi said. ”Preferably something not too strenuous. Do you have anything like that?”

”Well, we have some... but they don’t pay much.”

”Actually, it’s just a side thing for me,” Huai Shi shrugged. ”I’m planning to travel from Jakarta towards Madula. If I can help out along the way, that would be great.”

Ali fell silent.

Soon, he looked up and yelled towards the outside of the wooden house, ”Taufik! Taufik! Bring a can of the new White Grass seeds over here!”

His voice was so loud it practically shook a layer of dust from the rafters.

Soon, a young man came in holding an aluminum box, about the size of a tea caddy, and placed it in front of Huai Shi.

When opened, it revealed seeds the size of rice grains, looking like grass seeds.

”What is this?”

Huai Shi didn’t recognize it.

”Preparation before we start the subsequent work,” Ali explained. ”Before a new type of scale insect population can be cultivated, we need to slightly delay the impact of the Dragon Oak. This is what those Druids use to fertilize the land. It grows tall and dies quickly, but it’s difficult to keep alive.”

As he said this, he looked at Huai Shi and said no more.

It was as if he were assessing Huai Shi’s capabilities.

Can you even plant this?

Huai Shi felt his pocket, pulled out tweezers from his toolkit, picked up a single seed, and placed it in his palm to observe it carefully. He had never seen this thing before and couldn’t make any guarantees.

But unexpectedly, after he merely rubbed it between his fingers and it picked up a little of the sweat from his hand, that single seed actually sprouted.

He hadn’t even used his Mountain Ghost abilities.

He breathed a sigh of relief and smiled. ”See? Not so hard to keep alive after all.”

”... ”

After a brief silence, Ali finally let the astonishment fade from his eyes. He scrutinized Huai Shi for a long moment, then nodded.

”Alright. Since Tilaral recommended you, and with his guarantee, there’s no need for you to sign a contract.” Ali nodded. ”When can you start?”

”Anytime.”

Huai Shi replied, reaching into his trouser pocket and taking out his credentials. ”And there’s no need to trouble Mr. Tilaral for a guarantee. I have something to prove my identity and credibility.”

The credential, with its exquisite black cover, bore an emblem of thorns encircling the Current Circumstances.

Opening it revealed Huai Shi’s portrait and the peace dove steel stamp of the Astronomical Society. This verified his status as a Registered Militia and granted him the right to carry weapons and travel freely between the Current Circumstances, the Border, and Hell.

Ali gasped and froze on the spot. Tilaral wasn’t much better; his hand shook so much he almost spilled the wine in his cup.

Both looked at each other incredulously.

How did you pull enough strings to get such a big shot to help us?

I had no fucking idea the lost little bro I just happened to run into was from the Astronomical Society!

Their expressions instantly became incredibly telling.

Fortunately, they held no bias or aversion towards Huai Shi, this certified Executioner. After all, in a place like Indonesia, where there weren’t many major Genealogies, it was the rules set by the Astronomical Society that ensured the basic human rights and livelihoods of Sublimators.

This was like an enthusiastic old man recommending a young lad to an old acquaintance for some odd jobs, only to find out that the kid who showed up to haul bricks was, for crying out loud, a passing captain of the criminal investigation department.

Watching their expressions, hesitating to speak yet wanting to, Huai Shi stifled a laugh. That little part of him, hidden in a dark corner of his heart, that enjoyed putting on airs felt immensely satisfied.

”AHEM. Well, since you’re from the Astronomical Society, there’s naturally no need to worry.”

After a long pause, Ali finally replied awkwardly, pushing the box towards Huai Shi. ”You just need to find places to plant these along your route. I can give you an advance on the payment. How much do you want?”

”If it’s just a matter of tossing a few seeds along the way, it won’t take much effort—”

Holding the box, Huai Shi pondered for a moment, then said, ”If you really want to compensate me, then just answer a question for me.”

He looked intently at Ali before him and asked earnestly, ”In your opinion, what does it mean to become a Sublimator?”

”...”

Ali glanced back at Tilaral and asked in a low voice, ”Did you pick up a poet from somewhere?”

”Young people are always curious about the world,” Tilaral shrugged. ”He needs some insights from a predecessor. I hope you won’t be too stingy with your words, at least.”

Ali, as if conceding defeat, shrugged and shook his head. ”It doesn’t mean anything.”

Huai Shi said nothing more.

He just watched him, his expression calm and composed, patiently waiting.

Finally, Ali couldn’t maintain his composure any longer. Suppressing his irritation, he took a deep breath.

”Alright. Though I don’t know what you bigwigs at the Astronomical Society think, in my view, being a Sublimator means nothing. It’s just a job, understand?” He pointed at the utter mess in the office. ”I went from being an alcoholic forest ranger, basically forced into the position, to running a logging camp. I have to look after my old, unemployed buddies and also figure out how to maintain the ecological balance in the forest... It’s too much hassle, young man. A deadly amount of hassle.”

”Didn’t you make any money?” asked Huai Shi.

”So what if I did?”

Ali chuckled, amused, and pointed outside the building. ”What’s the use of money in a remote place like this? I use company funds to call for... female company... once a week, pay double the tip. But what more is there? This is the mountains, young man. Nobody needs money less than a lumberjack.”

”...” Huai Shi was stunned for a long moment. ”So, your life hasn’t changed at all?”

”Oh, it changed, quite a bit actually. But when things *really* needed to change—what could this power actually change then?”

Right in front of Huai Shi, Ali transformed his arm into a thick tree branch. Astonishing power lay hidden beneath its heavy bark. More frighteningly, the entire logging camp and the whole forest seemed to resonate faintly with him.

This was his home ground.

”This is power, no doubt about it. It’s amazing, too, no doubt about that. But what’s the use?” Ali scoffed and retorted, ”Can it make my ex-wife, whose heart I broke, come back to me? Can it make my two children believe their father truly, deeply loves them?

My eldest son and my daughter won’t even eat a meal with me. In their eyes, I’ll always be the father who brought them fear and pain with his drinking, a shameful burden...

Yes, I know. I got what I deserved. I reaped what I sowed, young man. They hate me. They wouldn’t even invite me to their weddings.

This isn’t something power or miracles can change. Not unless time turned back, and I could give that bastard Ali from twenty years ago a thorough beating, tell that moron to cherish everything he had. But even if time did turn back, could I really face them?

I screwed up once, I screwed up twice. I ruined every chance I had. By the time I started to regret it, everything was already irreparable.”

Ali’s fingers elongated, curling around the bottle of strong liquor on the table. He tilted his head back, downed it in one go, then irritably tossed the empty bottle out the window and slumped back into his chair.

Gazing at the photo frame on the table—a picture of his former family—he looked exhausted and helpless, and laughed self-mockingly. ”Life isn’t something you can change with power, is it?”

Huai Shi was speechless.

”That’s the answer you wanted, Mr. Huai Shi. I’ve made a complete fool of myself in front of a young man I just met. Now please, grant me a little shred of dignity. Take your payment and leave quickly.”

Ali took a set of car keys from his pocket and placed them on the desk. ”There’s a car outside, fully fueled. You can use it as you please. Just drop it off at the Forestry Association Branch in Madula when you’re finished.”

”Thank you.”

Huai Shi picked up the car keys and thanked him sincerely.

”That’s your payment,” Ali said.

”No, I’m referring to your honesty,” Huai Shi said seriously. ”You could easily have lied, or not answered at all.”

”Just consider yourself lucky then.”

Ali waved his hand irritably, gesturing for him to leave quickly. Tilaral shrugged, nodded a farewell to Huai Shi, then gestured towards the dejected Ali beside him, indicating he would stay to comfort his old friend.

Before leaving, Huai Shi opened his mouth as if to say something, but after a moment’s thought, he dutifully closed it again.

What right or experience did he have to brazenly lecture others on how to face life?

After nodding his thanks, he pushed the door open and left.

As he was getting into the car, he received a message from Tilaral. It was a phone number, followed by: ”If you go to Madula, you might want to look up this guy. He teaches Latin at a middle school and is always pondering all sorts of odd things. We privately call him ’the Philosopher.’ Perhaps he’ll offer you some insight.”

I will, Huai Shi thought.

After sending his reply, Huai Shi looked up at the rather large SUV in front of him, raising an eyebrow.

Rubbing his hands in anticipation.

A free car to drive, how great...

Completely ignoring the fact that he had neither a driver’s license nor any driving experience, Huai Shi slammed the accelerator to the floor and sped off, leaving a cloud of dust behind.

On the road!