Chapter 82.1 – The Reader and Protagonist Definitely Have to Be in True Love

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Chapter 82.1 Reader: These shoddy products are no good.

Before Du Ze could think about it more, the gnome god had moved to the “Understanding” plaza and seemed intent on destroying the wheel of time.

That is the only thing in this world that is directly related to the God of Creation.

That was the only thought left in his brain as Du Ze pumped his legs and chased after Garl.

Seeing Du Ze running off, Xiu’s eyes widened. Xiu was still at the center of the plaza. He quickly stood up and followed Du Ze, trotting to catch up to him.

As a result, Garl became unhappy. His entire purpose was to prevent Xiu and the wheel of time from coming into contact. He was even prepared to destroy to wheel of time to prevent it. The gnome god jumped two times and his fingers drew a line between himself and Xiu. There was gust of wind and Garl’s jester cap shook as something invisible seemed to pass him by.

“!”

Xiu froze. His appearance was very awkward. His arms were stuck to the side of his body, as though he was tied up by an invisible rope. Xiu frowned and his little face crumpled up. “Let go of me.”

Garl made a face at Xiu and he said, in a tone as though he was joking with a good friend: “I will let you go when I get rid of the hidden danger.”

Garl’s target was only Xiu so Du Ze could still act freely. A silly, cute peron was startled and wanted to go to Xiu but the gnome god’s footsteps were quickly fading away. Du Ze turned back just in time to see the gnome god’s figure disappear into the street.

“Du Ze!”

When he heard Xiu scream his name, Du Ze realized that he had unconsciously walked several steps in Garl’s direction. After a moment, he regained his composure. Du Ze did not stop. On the contrary, he gritted his teeth and speed up his pace as he ran to the “Understanding” plaza, while behind him Xiu called out his name.

“Du Ze- !”

I’m sorry, Moe Lord! This little student believes that the ruler of the gnome gods will not hurt you! This might be the only chance to find the God of Creation.

Du Ze’s heart beat violently. He didn’t know whether it was because he was running or because of what was about to happen. His memory has never been clearer than at this moment. When Xiu was locked inside the gate of knowledge to learn the gnome language and forging, he went to the “Understanding” plaza, guided by Old John. That was where he learned the cause of the gnome race’s disappearance. Then because of someone acting cute, he touched the wheel of time and …

A dark void, a sound, and an hourglass, that’s all he saw in the wheel of time.

Du Ze, with his mouth open and gasping for air, felt like a fish out of water.

The gnome god said: The wheel of time was given to us by the God of Creation.

A loud ringing echoed in his brain and the hissed a message: The man who speaks to you in the dark … is the God who created this world.

The voice that comes out of that noisy interference, as though coming from a bad connection, is coming from the Creator God.

——Is this the correct conclusion?

Du Ze’s head buzzed as he tried to remember that sound. He had heard the intermittent sound more than once. Du Ze first heard that voice on the reverse side of the continent, when he nearly died to the Flame Lord. In that boundless, dream-like darkness, the other’s voice was indistinct and there was a background noise as though he was hearing a signal from an old phone.

[……You …… How…… Dying … Where are you …]

From those words, it seemed like the other person cares about Du Ze dying and was looking for him?

The second time Du Ze heard that voice, it was in the wheel of time at the Gnome Ruins.

[…… Why … The wheel of time …] The words sounded anxious but after short pause the voice seemed quite happy: […… I found you …]

The owner of that voice is looking for him, there is no doubt about that. If that person really is the God of Creation, then is the God of Creation looking for him? If so, that means that in the past the Creator God was looking for him. Now he is looking for the Creator God. Du Ze felt that this was darkly humorous but, at the same time, he was also at a loss. Why is the Creator God looking for him?

Is it because he’s not of this world?

Almost immediately, he thought of the last time he heard that voice. That was during the BOSS fight when he touched the god of light’s scepter and fell into an illusion of darkness.

[Do you know why you came to this world?]

Compared to the two previous occasions when there was a lot of background noise, this time the sound was as clear as whisper in his ear, faintly bewitching, intimate and encouraging. The owner of that voice is looking for him and, not only did he know that Du Ze does not belong in this world, but it looks like he also knows the reason why Du Ze came to this world. The other person seemed to be announcing his knowledge, as if he was reminding Du Ze of it and hinting at something.

Perhaps the only way to find out is to ask that voice directly. Du Ze arrived at the “Understanding” plaza and looked at the wheel of time. His heart was beating so hard that it was almost jumping out of his chest – he finally found an important clue.

Garl the clown stood at the bottom of the wheel of time. He bounced up and down a few times, likely to activate some sort of machine. With Garl at the center, a circle of force burst out through the ground in waves, sweeping through every nook and cranny of the Gnome Ruins. A dozen lightning bolts flashed and the aftershock blew the hair and clothes from Du Ze’s body, nearly blowing off his headphones. Du Ze hurriedly placed his hands over his ears and covered his face with the doujinshi to block the intense bright white light that filled the plaza.

The white light faded away. The “Understanding” plaza was a mess. The research papers from the lab were flying everywhere, most of them them charred or totally destroyed. Garl looked up at the unscatched golden wheel. His first attack failed but he was not discouraged. Garl stretched out his hand and was just about to launch another attack when he was blocked by Du Ze.

“Stop!”

Garl looked at Du Ze, who was standing in front of him. The gnome god shook his head, making the two small bells on his jester’s cap collide against each other. He said: “You can’t stop me. I have to destroy the wheel of time, it’s dangerous to gnomes.”

The golden metal of the wheel of time shone with a metallic luster, coldly reflecting the image of Garl’s sorrowful face.

“You wanted to know more about the Father, right?” he said. The gnome god pointed to the wheel of time, and spoke in a voice full of exhaustion and sadness: “Look, this is the gift the Father gave us.”

“In the sixth era, we gnomes created a mechanical civilization. The father praised this, praised my people and sent the wheel of time to the gnomes.” Garl’s voice gradually became lower and lower. “My people were ecstatic, not only because of the Father’s praise but also because the wheel of time is an artifact. Through the wheel of time, the gnome could finally study the law of time.”

“Regarding the mystery of time, we were all very curious and fanatically researched it.” Garl’s tone was flat, without any ups or down, like a eulogy. “On that day when the gnomes touched the law of time, the gnome race … was eliminated by ‘the rules’.”

Garl’s sigh was like Old John’s sigh when Du Ze asked him about the cause of the gnome race’s disappearance. Sometimes being too curious is not good.

“Only the gnome gods escaped that fate. That was when I understood that there are things we should not touch. Although this thought is disrespectful to the Father, I have always thought that if the Father had not given the wheel of time to gnome race, that would be good.”

Garl’s big eyes looked like they were about to fill with tears and he looked at the wheel of time sorrowfully.

“If that were the case, everyone would not have … vanished.”

Du Ze listened and even though he had guessed the reason for the gnome’s disappearance, it still felt creepy to hear the gnome god describe the way it happened. The gnomes are stubborn and inquisitive, eager to explore the unknown, and fanatical about their own research. Only the gnomes could have created such a brilliant mechanical civilization. The God of Creation used these qualities to give the gnome race a nice gift.

Maybe it could be said that the God of Creation simply wanted to send gifts and the gnome race’s excessive curiosity was what lead them to their demise. Du Ze might have thought that before he learned the story of the elves but now Du Ze feels that such a move is one that is truly worthy of the Ultimate BOSS. The God of Creation

The Creator God seemed to have a malicious intent towards all of the races: the gnomes died because of their curiosity,the elves lost their emotions, and if the beastkin’s madness was included, by his count that was three races who fell because of a “gift” from the Creator God – no one would know the weakness of each race better than the Creator of the World. Even Yi Ye Zhi Qiu wrote in his novel: the eight races, in order to acquire gifts from the God of Creation, paid a price by giving him one of their characteristics.

Now it seems that each of the eight races didn’t so much as give away a characteristic but created a weakness…?

 

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Translator’s Notes:

• About the title: 豆腐渣 – tofu dregs, also called dòuzhā, dòufuzhā, soy pulp, or okara. It is what is left over after pureed soybeans are filtered in the production of soy milk and tofu. 豆腐渣工程 – literally “tofu dregs project” but metaphorically means something built shoddily.
• 
  Okara can be used as food, too. Above is an image of Buttermilk Pancakes made with okara by the Okaramountain blog.
• You know, when I was reading this I was like: “er… the last time Du Ze touched the wheel he disappeared for four years…” Dang.
• Thanks for reading and please leave a comment if you can. I love comments.

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