Chapter 00145: The Call
# The Call
Chapter 145
Novel: Above Destiny
Chapter 145 The Call
After the new chief took his position and the old strife and bloodshed came to an end, Lei Yaoxing used his own blood to wash away all that had happened before.
Once everyone had received both face-saving explanations and meaningful reparations, the representatives from all sides began to leave one after another.
Chen Yubai even ran over to his brother, peppering him with questions.
Ji Jue had been leaning on a chair for a long time when he lifted his hand to remove three rubber bands from the back of his head.
He placed them in his palm and stared at them for a long moment.
In silence, he sighed.
"Leaving already?" Lao Tang asked, his eyes sharp with perception.
"Yeah," Ji Jue replied, without any regret as he returned his gaze and finished the last seed from his sunflower.
"The seeds are finished, the work is done. Why should I stay here any longer? To flatter a new chief? Forget it—I’m not mingling in any association… And you?"
"I can’t leave!" Lao Tang exclaimed in a trembling voice.
"That bastard Chen Xingzhou cheated me out of such a huge sum. Don’t you think we ought to ask for the remaining payment?"
"Then I wish you luck in collecting your wages."
Ji Jue gave a slight smile and waved farewell to Tang Qian.
As he walked through the crowd, it was as if by accident he stumbled and bumped into the person in front of him.
An awkward pause followed.
"Ah, sorry about that."
"No worries," came the reply.
The stranger—a woman—turned back with a smile, but when she saw his expression, she paused for a moment.
After nodding, she hurriedly left.
Only the faint trace of her perfume remained, making Ji Jue linger in that spot for quite some time.
Looking down, lost in thought, he then heard the sound of a wheelchair turning behind him.
It was Chen Yubai pushing Chen Xingzhou over.
That chubby fellow, who had been dejected and uneasy for days, now had bright eyes and a joyful look, as if he were about to sprout wings and fly.
Indeed, he seemed ready to soar.
The manager of Huangji, the younger brother of the chief of Ya City, was no longer the same person as before, was he? From today on, every shady asset in Ya City had become personal property of the Chen family, and any decision regarding them could be made by Chen Xingzhou alone.
Yet Chen Xingzhou did not show any overt excitement.
He remained calm, his smile warm and enthusiastic.
He proactively extended his hand.
"Mr. Ji, it’s our first meeting, and I haven’t properly thanked you yet."
He glanced over at the receding back of the woman and said cheerfully, "What’s wrong? If you’re interested, I can introduce you."
"No, it’s nothing," Ji Jue replied, adding, "I just have a feeling I’ve seen you somewhere before."
"That’s normal," Chen Xingzhou said with a smile.
"We’re all from Ya City. If you go shopping enough, you tend to see familiar faces."
"I see."
Ji Jue nodded in sudden realization.
Smelling that fleeting hint of her perfume, he remarked, "No wonder it felt familiar."
"Young ones are indeed impressive," Chen Xingzhou continued gently, his smile full of admiration.
"The future of this world depends on people like you."
"Forget it. I feel like being a craftsman suits me better," Ji Jue said without hesitation, shaking his head.
"It’s at least simple."
"Simple, you say?" Chen Xingzhou was a little taken aback, hearing for the first time such a big claim—that the way of the craftsman, a path where many spend a lifetime without achieving much, was simple, and it was stated so matter-of-factly.
For a moment he couldn’t tell whether this was due to shallow ignorance of limits or the confidence of a true genius.
In the end, he could only sigh, "So full of vigor—it’s quite impressive."
Ji Jue nodded, saying only, "Perhaps it’s because there are far more things far more difficult than being a craftsman."
With that, Chen Xingzhou fell silent, no more words exchanged.
"What's the matter?" Ji Jue smiled.
"Today is such a fine day—you should be celebrating instead of staying quiet."
Chen Xingzhou didn’t seem concerned with how Ji Jue regarded his position as chief; it wasn’t his problem.
If Ji Jue had the nerve, he could come to the Chaosheng Workshop and tackle him himself.
As a savior for Chen Yubai, Chen Xingzhou surely would have to praise him even if Ji Jue were to flip his wheelchair with one kick.
What was there to fear? Why worry about showing restraint?
Chen Xingzhou sighed lightly, patting the shoulder of Chen Yubai before he spoke.
Chen Yubai, looking slightly startled, left of his own accord, leaving the two men behind.
"It’s merely a sentiment," Chen Xingzhou said slowly.
"I’ve always thought that to climb to where I am now, aside from all the scheming and maneuvering, the most important factor was luck."
As he spoke, he looked back at Chen Yubai in the distance—who was busy taking pictures with his phone of some stray cat with a silly grin—and sighed from his heart, "But now it seems my foolish little brother had far better luck than I did."
"Foolish people sometimes get lucky—as long as you’re not a total idiot. If you cared a little less about him, his fortune might increase even further," Ji Jue remarked, hands in his pockets, before finally asking, "Is there any other matter you need to instruct me about, Chief Chen?"
"…Indeed, there is one very important matter."
After a brief moment of thought, Chen Xingzhou reached into his pocket and pulled out something he had already prepared.
"A'bai told me that you didn’t want a single penny in return. When I was confined to my sickbed, you persuaded him to donate that money instead—to do good deeds. You really are a good friend, a rare friend in this world."
He continued, "Let’s proceed as you suggested."
In his hand was nothing more than a single sheet of paper.
It was thin and light, yet the look and heading appeared so familiar, almost as if Ji Jue had seen it somewhere before.
It was actually two documents: one was a donation slip for a cash donation of 4,641 million and some Federal Coins—some in full figures and some in parts.
The other was an entrustment for shareholding representation and sale, covering stocks in more than a dozen companies, including several hot publicly listed companies and many other valuable assets.
All were entrusted to the Chongguang Church for representation and sale, with all proceeds going to charitable causes.
What left Ji Jue dumbfounded was the signature on both the donation slip and the entrustment.
It wasn’t Chen Yubai, nor was it Chen Xingzhou.
It was Ji Jue’s own name… Wait, what?!
Ji… Jue...
Jue… his eyes widened as he leaned in closer, examining it carefully.
He repeatedly confirmed it over and over, and yet he was still utterly confused.
Then he saw the final item Chen Xingzhou handed him—a small badge.
Simply put, it was an iron lapel pin without any spiritual aura fluctuations, engraved with the symbol of Chongguang Church and adorned with three layers of gold edging.
On the back, his name, Ji Jue, was carved, and the badge was sealed with a glow-of-luminous-spirit mark as an anti-forgery measure.
This was the one and only token of gratitude that Chongguang Church gave to major donors—a true luxury, rare and highly coveted in the world of fame and fortune.
Only those who had donated tens of billions to charity, thereby saving countless people from pain, hardship, and despair, could receive this badge from Chongguang Church.
It was non-transferable, non-saleable, and after Ji Jue’s death, someone would even be sent to retrieve it to be enshrined on the Wall of Good Deeds at the Central Sanctuary.
Simply put, this was a certificate of being a good person recognized throughout the world! As long as he wore it, Ji Jue could walk anywhere with his head held high—even if he went to the Central Lands or to the Empire.
Anyone with eyes who saw the badge on his chest would lower their heads in greeting, welcoming him.
They might even walk into the Governor’s mansion, pat the governor on his bald head, and say, "I feel like you haven’t been doing as well lately," to which the governor would only smile and agree, "You’re right."
Officially it carried no power, yet its true influence had already spread to every corner.
No one harbored resentment against a kind, benevolent person.
And no one could sincerely feel discontent or disrespect toward someone wearing the Chongshan badge.
From that day forward, Ji Jue would be recognized as an authenticated do-gooder of Chongguang Church!
From now on…
"Before you came, I spoke with the elder about you," Chen Xingzhou said with a soft smile.
"The elder sends his thanks and hopes you have a chance to meet up sometime. From now on, you’ll always be an honored guest at Chongguang Church. No matter where you go, they’ll be your friends."
Ji Jue looked up toward the distant crowd, where the elder was surrounded.
The aged man turned his gaze back and nodded at Ji Jue.
His eyes shone with genuine warmth and admiration.
"But why me?" Ji Jue asked in a daze.
"If you really want to donate, shouldn’t you use your own name?"
"If it were me, even if I donated, I wouldn’t have this kind of treatment," Chen Xingzhou replied with a self-deprecating smile.
"The bishop told me that to truly make an impact, simply donating money wasn’t enough. He asked if I could do more good deeds in the future—something I simply can’t manage. I’m destined to do the dirty work in this life. At least A'bai can keep his work clean…"
He laughed sincerely, looking at Ji Jue.
"Thank you, Ji Jue. The nine charitable hospitals have introduced new equipment thanks to your donation. Next, Chongguang Church will use this fund to promote new vaccine inoculations throughout Haizhou. The shares will be held long-term by the church, and all profits from dividends will go to provide long-term blood dialysis for those who can’t afford it," he explained.
"From now on, you will always be a friend of Chongguang Church."
Ji Jue fell silent, lowering his head as he looked at the badge in his hand.
In less than a week of shelter, he had received such an enormous reward.
Though he had never intended to claim the money as his own—even if Chen Xingzhou had offered it—at this moment, he couldn’t help but feel an exuberant joy in his heart for this gift from Chen Xingzhou.
Yet one couldn’t help but wonder: what price lay hidden behind such a huge donation? What was this truly—is it compensation?
He smiled slightly, neither dramatic nor evasive, and with dignified calm he tucked the badge into his pocket before asking, "Isn’t this a bit stingy for a man who saved your own little brother’s life?"
"A modest token of gratitude doesn’t prevent us from being friends—or even enemies—in the future," Chen Xingzhou said, gripping the wheelchair’s armrest and straightening his posture as he asked in a serious tone, "Though it may mostly be lip service, I still want to ask: would you be interested in coming to Huangji? The chief is selected every ten years, and with your talent it might be an easy fit. No, come to think of it, perhaps with you around, my position won’t even be filled in ten years!"
"Sorry, I’m not interested at all," Ji Jue replied abruptly, waving his hand.
"Keep that for your own amusement."
The rain had stopped, and it was time to leave.
After taking leave for so many days, Ji Jue still had many things to attend to.
In the middle of the day, if he picked up the pace he could even stop by to collect the youngest from school on the way.
And so, without any lingering attachment or hesitation, Ji Jue turned and walked away.
Dripping crystalline water fell from the eaves, while the coast beyond the great gate shimmered with ripples of light, dazzlingly bright.
The gusting wind felt so fresh, and still the tide flowed relentlessly, just as it had with that distant, ethereal murmur half a month before.
Outside the cemetery’s gate, Ji Jue looked back one final time at the elusive truth.
The beginning of it all—the bloody storm and the brutal upheaval—had originated when Chen Yubai, Chen Xingzhou’s younger brother, was attacked by Lei Yaoxing, followed by news spreading of Lei Wuye’s critical condition...
Yet, what had sparked that attack? A baffling bet, a sports car enthusiast who never dared exceed eighty miles per hour, a spoiled rich kid used as a pawn, a mysterious woman who had vanished without a trace, and poor Ji Jue—entangled by pure chance in this calamity.
Because of all this, an enraged Chen Xingzhou turned against Lei Yaoxing, and the prelude to chaos was set in motion.
But… a few henchmen and a sniper? Could such minor figures really be responsible for setting the stage for everything? If an attack was to be carried out, wouldn’t it be more convenient to plant a stone halfway along the path instead of at the very end? To be safe, wouldn’t it be simpler to shoot randomly within the crowd? Had Ji Jue really let go back then, would that bullet have hit its mark? And what of that mysterious woman in the club who had indirectly triggered everything—where did she vanish with her lingering scent of perfume? Why did Lei Wuye, once vigorous, suddenly become feeble over the months? Why did Lei Yaoxing gradually stray until he found himself pitted against everyone? And why had that funeral come at just the right moment? Who fired that bullet aimed at Chen Xingzhou—a bullet unnoticed by all and unchallenged—which showcased such extraordinary marksmanship? So many mysteries, now buried by time, alongside those who knew too much, entombed underground.
Yet, at this moment, Ji Jue couldn’t help but wonder: if I were in their shoes… what would become of everything? The answer is there is no answer.
It’s as if some outcomes are destined to remain without resolution.
So, let it be.
There is no need to dig deeper into the rest—this is the result that will satisfy everyone.
For Ji Jue, the humble craftsman’s apprentice, the turmoil on Ya City’s dark side had ended, and from now on, everything else was no longer his concern.
His world was no longer in this wilderness.
"Farewell, White Deer," Ji Jue said, glancing back toward the surging sea waves below the riverbank.
In the reflection of the tide, a white deer stood alone in the distant wilderness, silently witnessing everything—life, the hunt, rivalries, and death.
This chaotic, brutal wilderness held all.
And was the white deer the only witness of it all? In that moment, the young man bidding farewell to the wild raised his head, finally witnessing a vast image looming above—a formless totality, the highest aspect without a defined shape, vast as the sea yet ascending like a blazing flame.
It was like a never-ending road stretching upward into even higher realms…
It watched over him, silent and immovable, as if it had been waiting for a long time.
In the sudden stillness of the mortal realm, beneath the eaves in the cemetery where the remnants of rain dropped, scattering amidst tender green growth and soft light emerging, the conversations in the hall stilled.
People turned their eyes toward the distant sky.
"Is it the Call of Supreme Kindness?" Tong Ting lifted his eyes, suddenly moved, "I never imagined 'that one' would show so much favor towards a mere craftsman."
"I thought it would be the White Deer," Lao Lin said with regret, shaking his head.
"What a pity."
"Supreme kindness flows from all things. Hunters and wild beasts pursue their prey in the wilderness, but from the wilderness, even sentient beings can develop transcendent aspirations—an urge to climb higher…" An elder from Chongguang Church gazed up at that vast ascending presence and smiled silently, "Even you fine folks here, do you not harbor your own aspirations for ascension?"
Ambition and ideals are two sides of the same coin.
All things in the mortal world spring from this source.
Some say man evolved from monkeys.
Perhaps the moment a monkey first conceived the idea of walking upright, that simple wish set the world on its current chaotic and maddened course.
This aspiration to rise transcends good and evil, lofty or humble, morality or status.
When a beast gazes upon the world before it, after fear and hesitation there comes a yearning—the very first spark of a primate’s soul is born when it reaches for the stars.
Once such thoughts emerge in one’s mind, they are never forgotten.
And so, the desire to climb becomes ever more fervent.
Ultimately, it is unstoppable.
In this way, even frogs at the bottom of a well yearn for that distant light overhead, and struggling, trapped beasts drag themselves up toward the mountain peaks.
Perhaps beyond every dangerous summit lies yet another higher one.
So long as there remains in this world something out of reach, the aspiration to surpass will never be extinguished.
—This is the essence of Transformation!
I recommend a book from an old friend, The World of Demon Martial Arts: How I Became a Sage of the Jianghu.
Honestly, I was shocked to see him suddenly don a new guise to release his book.
In any event, I highly recommend it.
(End of Chapter)