1938 Virtual Table
Seeing how shocked Han Sen looked, Haiâer took his reaction for a confirmation. She then murmured, âWe shouldnât talk here. We should find someplace else to chat.â
âI think you have the wrong guy; I have no clue about what youâre talking about.â Han Sen acted through his shock.
Haiâer lifted her lips in a little smile and said, âThere is no use in pretending. I am a thief, and nothing escapes my senses. I will tell this to a Buddha King; you know what will happen to you and Speechless if I do, right?â
Before Han Sen could put another word in, Haiâer continued. âOh, but just so you know, I am not being hostile. Actually, I would like to strike a trade with you.â
After saying that, Haiâer pulled Han Sen away from Buddhaâs Path. They walked out of the city and went to the banks of a nearby river.
Han Sen wished to hear what she wanted to say, so he didnât resist following her out.
âOkay, letâs talk here.â Haiâer let Han Sen go, then sat down atop a rock. She smiled and said, âGiven your relationship with Speechless Buddha Lady, I can only assume you know the secrets to heaven.â
âWhat secrets?â Han Sen asked Haiâer.
âStop pretending! Heaven has opened many times, and many races have been here. Only ten of them can reach the end, each and every time. I believe there is a secret to this somewhere.â Haiâer was peering right at Han Sen when she continued. âWith Speechlessâ reputation, she must assuredly know how to reach the other side. I donât want anything from you. All I want is for you to take me with you and help me reach the end. If you do, Iâll keep the relationship between you two a secret. I promise.â
âI think you have misunderstood us. I know Speechless, but we are not in a relationship with each other. In fact, we have only ever met twice,â Han Sen said.
Haiâer looked annoyed by the denial. Her face filled up with frost and she said, âThis is bad. I am going to tell Buddha King about it right now.â
âSo what if he knows?â Han Sen laughed at Haiâer.
Haiâer looked back at Han Sen with disdain. âStill pretending? You canât hide anything from a Pirate. ^ every trick in the book to get others to join their creed. Marriage is one such method. Many creatures in this universe have been tethered to the Buddha in this way. Like Happy Buddha King; he was the best in the entire universe. Yet even he was suckered into one of those arrangements. Speechless is famous, and she will have a marriage with someone powerful. Itâs a must for her. If Buddha King leams about you two, do you think he will let you go lightly? You should know about this.ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Han Sen didnât know the Buddha had such a culture, and he found it rather interesting.
When Han Sen didnât respond, Haiâer went on to say, âOthers donât know the Buddha are this way, but we do. They are not much smarter than the Pirate, you know. I donât really like them, and more than that, I donât want to expose your story. If you help me, it is a win-win situation for all of us.â
You know who I am?â Han Sen asked Haiâer.
Haiâer was surprised and said, âHow am I supposed to know who you are? Youâre just a lowly Viscount Even if you are famous, the Buddha wonât let you be with her.â
Han Sen smiled and said, âI am the student of the Rebate called Knife Queen. This is my first time here, and it marks my third encounter with Speechless. Nothing else is going on, okay? You are wholeheartedly mistaken.â
Haiâer frowned at Han Sen. She looked right at him. Seeing him turn to leave, she tugged at him and said, âEven if the two of you arenât together, how about we co-operate anyway? Letâs walk through heaven together!â
âWhat benefit is there for us to co-operate?â Han Sen asked Haiâer.
âThere is a lot. I am the number one genius of the Pirate. Everyone knows the name Haiâer. She is a rare and very talented person. I will be deified, one day.â Haiâer kept complimenting herself, showing utterly no embarrassment.
âIf you and I co-operate, it would be easier to traverse heaven.â Haiâer patted Han Sen on his shoulder.
âIf youâre as good as you say, why do you need Speechless to guide you?â Han Sen laughed at her.
Haiâerâs face did not change, and she said, âI am certain I can get through it, but this is a once-in-a-lifetime affair. Itâs good to take extra precautionary measures, donât you think?â
Han Sen turned around and left, ignoring her.
Haiâer followed and pleaded, âLetâs talk about it! State your conditions.â
âI donât know anything about what to expect in heaven, so following me is pointless.â Han Sen knew Haiâer was suspicious about the prospect of his relationship with Speechless, so he kept walking resolutely.
Haiâer gritted her teeth and pulled out something. âYou must know this. If you co-operate with me, then this is yours.â
Han Sen looked at Haiâerâs hands and saw a tablet. It was palm-sized. There were many words, smaller than grains of rice, etched into it. There was nothing particularly special about it, though.
âWhat is it?â Han Sen looked at Haiâerâs tablet dubiously.
Haiâer looked shocked. She stared at Han Sen, and said, âReally? You donât know about the Virtual Tablet?â
âWhat is a Virtual Tablet?â Han Sen looked at it and asked.
Haiâer saw that Han Sen was honestly confused, so she shook it in front of him and said, âThe Virtual Tablet is a powerful treasure left behind by a mysterious, higher race. It has that mysterious raceâs geno art. When the Buddha received the Virtual Tablet, they absorbed the talents to become as they are. Many geno arts have come from this Virtual Tablet. This is one of many. The Pirate unearthed it from some old ruins, and no one else knows about this. But it can be yours for the price of a co-operative partnership.â
âHow do I know if this is real or not?â Han Sen was curious.
âArenât you Knife Queenâs student? If you let her take a look, sheâll know the truth. She wonât lie, either,â Haiâer said.
âOkay. If this is real, I will cross heaven with you.â Han Sen took the tablet. Haiâer had no relationship with Speechless, and she was practically giving him something for free. He wasnât going to reject that.