Chapter Fifty-Four: The Messy Account (Part Two)

When these words were spoken, everyone was momentarily stunned. However, Wei Wuji and Grant quickly shook off their daze, though their interpretations of the situation were entirely different.

"You are not Hegel? Is this the art of soul-possession?" Wei Wuji was the first to speak. He scrutinized Hegel carefully, confirming that the man possessed no Daoist power and showed no signs of ever having practiced such arts. Shaking his head, he said, "I am certain you do not know the Daoist arts. Did someone else perform a soul-possession ritual for you? That seems unlikely, though. Possession is an incredibly difficult feat; even for a master of the arts, taking over the body of an ordinary person is fraught with peril. The body and soul are fundamentally linked; no matter how powerful you are, you will always be an 'outsider.' Thus, even powerful Qi practitioners risk their lives attempting to seize an ordinary mortal's shell—there are ancient accounts of those with firm wills driving the intruder to madness and destruction, or the practitioner's own soul withering away. And that is for oneself. To perform such a ritual for a third party is even more complex, requiring the 'Soul-Linking' technique. Once it fails, the practitioner is guaranteed to suffer damage. Even those who have cultivated a Nascent Soul rarely risk such things, unless it is to save a direct disciple who has been slain. Furthermore, such acts are against the heavens. The Elder Council of our Daoist Sect has strictly forbidden unauthorized possession. Even if a direct disciple is reduced to a mere remnant soul, they must be nourished within a magical artifact, and only with the Council's approval can they 'purchase' a life to be reborn."

"No one helped me possess anyone," Hegel said, casting aside all caution and growing calm. He turned to Grant and said, "He doesn't understand, but you should know better than anyone. I am the same as you."

Grant’s expression was incredibly complex; he seemed unable to believe what was happening. After a moment of hesitation, he said softly, "Do you mean to say that you are also a transmigrator?"

"Transmigrator?" Wei Wuji frowned, curious. "What is that?"

"So, you really are a transmigrator," Grant sighed. "I once suspected you, but you masked it so well. I even investigated how you invented the flintlock and the Hegel bullet, but you still managed to deceive me. I thought Fahrenheit had given you hints; he loves to hide in the shadows, using the natives of this continent to achieve his ends."

"Yes, he did probe me. Because of the abilities I displayed after I arrived, he was suspicious, but he quickly discovered that I was no different from an ordinary person. Although I know some magical theory, it only came from spending years in magical workshops. I cannot use magic myself, I possess no martial skills, and I have no superpowers. I simply lived according to the habits of the original Mr. Hegel. His people must have monitored me for months, but they found nothing out of the ordinary. They concluded that some among the natives had simply begun to sprout the seeds of modern military and industrial thought. So, he began to use me, providing me with all sorts of conveniences. For instance, I entered the Ordnance Department, gained access to the National Academy of Sciences library, and received support for any experiment I wished to conduct."

At this point, a mocking smile appeared on Hegel's face. "Whenever I feigned hitting a bottleneck, someone would intentionally or unintentionally place clues before me—such as the flint, or the wine bottle cork that likely inspired the birth of the Hegel bullet. I have to admit he is a patient man; he refuses to step into the light, preferring to place possibilities before the natives to induce them. Unfortunately, I am also a transmigrator, so through these蛛丝迹 (clues), I suspected the great Prime Minister. But it is you, Grant, who confirmed it today."

"He is indeed the same as me," Grant shrugged. "He once tried to swallow me up, but I refused. You can guess what happened after that. I was chased like a dog until I captured Gaul City. He must hate me to death, though he has no time to deal with me now."

"I have no interest in your grievances." Wei Wuji had understood some of it, but not all. He cared nothing for the grudges between these so-called transmigrators. "What exactly is a transmigrator?"

"It is somewhat like the possession you mentioned," Grant said with a bitter smile, "but not quite. At the very least, we do not understand why we came here. But in short, we arrived. I became Grant, he became Hegel, and we inherited everything those bodies once were."

"Although my body is Hegel's, my heart and soul are not!" Hegel said in a deep voice. "I must be with Cecily. She is the person I have found to be the most beloved since I arrived in this world."

"Heavens, what is going on here?" Lady Serra covered her face. She did not fully grasp what Hegel and Grant were saying, but she understood one thing: the Hegel before her was no longer the original Hegel, but another soul dwelling within, and this soul had fallen in love with her daughter.

What a tangled, messy affair!

"Grant, help me. As long as you are willing to help me regarding Cecily, I am willing to pledge my loyalty to you," Hegel pleaded.

Grant pondered. This was a difficult decision. If he helped Hegel, he would likely fall out with Wei Wuji. But if he didn't, and Hegel died, the military industry in Gaul City would inevitably suffer. While it might only slow down rather than stop entirely, given the threat posed by Fahrenheit, any delay in development would be a major blow.

"Grant, help me. I will not pose any threat to you!" Hegel seemed to know what he was thinking and shouted, "Although I am a transmigrator, you can see that other than some differences in my thinking, Heaven has not given me any 'cheat codes.' Unlike you or Fahrenheit, I cannot threaten your position. But if you help me, I can help you establish modern military infrastructure in Gaul. What are you hesitating for? You need someone to help you; don't you feel lonely? I can be your partner and assistant. I will be more trustworthy than Leonardo because he is a native, while I am a transmigrator just like you! Help me!"

Wei Wuji did not stop Hegel's shouting. He waited for Grant's decision; this was the mutual respect between the strong.

However, Lady Serra seemed to snap out of her daze. She jumped up, pointed at Hegel with a trembling finger, and cried, "Do not listen to him! I understand now—he is a murderer! He killed my husband, usurped his place, and now he wants to continue defiling my daughter!"