Chapter 1602 The World Within the Mind <TOC> Chapter 1604 Success and Failure
Translator: SumTLMan
Onassis watched as Suyatutai was carried away by the medical team. As their figures gradually disappeared into the distance, he muttered softly to himself, “I’ve illuminated the path ahead for you; can you find your own way?”
Amidst the cacophony, Onassis walked through the competitor’s tunnel, heading backstage. Just before he left, he turned his head and cast a glance in Angel’s direction.
Angel happened to be looking at him too.
As their eyes met, Onassis appeared to ponder something. His lips moved slightly and, in the end, he bowed respectfully toward Angel before turning to leave.
Gloria caught this interaction and curiously asked, “It seemed like he was speaking to you.”
Angel nodded.
“What did he say?”
After a moment’s contemplation, Angel replied, “Under the distant stars, listen to the sound of the cloud vine Blossoming.”
Confused, Gloria tried to decipher the meaning behind these words but still came up empty-handed. She frowned and asked, “What does that even mean? Is it some sort of philosophical wisdom?”
Angel explained, “The phrase comes from a line written by Tyger in —The Unheard Sound—.”
Gloria asked, “Tyger, another mortal philosopher?”
Angel shook his head, “No, Tyger was a sheriff. —The Unheard Sound— is a work he penned in the form of fiction after retiring, chronicling various cases he had solved in the past.”
The more Gloria heard Angel’s explanation, the more bewildered she became. In other words, this was a detective novel. So why would Onassis quote a line from it, and what does that line actually signify?
Facing Gloria’s questions, Angel asked with a smile, “Can you hear the sound of the cloud vines blossoming on the other side of the distant stars?”
Gloria hesitated for a moment: “That depends on the spell used. If a wizard eye is placed in advance…”
Angel interrupted Gloria, “Without any preconditions, no wizard eye, no spells.”
Gloria shook her head, “Then it’s basically impossible.”
“Do you think the cloud vines will blossom? And would there be a sound when they do?”
Gloria replied, “If there are no natural disasters or human calamities, they may blossom, and naturally, there would be a sound.”
“Why do you think they will bloom when you’ve never witnessed it yourself?” Angel queried once more.
Gloria became even more puzzled, “Have you been influenced by Onassis? Fine, I have no intention of engaging in philosophical discourse with you; just give me the straight answer.”
Angel shrugged, “Existence is perception. This is actually a question rooted in idealist philosophy.”
“Tyger, at the end of his novel —The Unheard Sound—, confesses in the form of a confession that he once let a female criminal go. She killed her husband because her husband had been brutally abusing her for a decade.”
“This female criminal’s favorite flower is the cloud vine, a type of flower that is very difficult to bloom and is rumored to only do so on lands where bodies are buried. Initially, she was a meek woman, a trembling bud under her husband’s tyranny. When she endured hardship and finally erupted, killing her husband, she transformed, and the cloud vine blossomed along with her.”
“Tyger sympathized with this female criminal and ultimately let her go. After she left the small town, Tyger lamented: ‘I hope that beyond the distant stars, we no longer hear the sound of cloud vines blossoming.'”
Tyger’s point was that he doesn’t know whether this female criminal would commit crimes again. Because she is now far away, one simply can’t know what might happen on her end.
However, Onassis extended this statement into another form of idealistic philosophical question: “To exist is to be perceived.”
“I don’t know where you are, I only know you exist. Once your existence is acknowledged, probability collapses.”
He may be likening himself to a cloud vine flower, or perhaps likening Angel to one, but that’s not what matters. What matters is that in places unknown to me, I know you are silently blossoming.
Upon hearing this, Gloria seemed to grasp something: “Is he sending you a message, indicating that the next time you meet, you’ll be taken aback?”
Angel shook his head: “Perhaps he’s merely stating that in unknown places, he continues to silently bloom and grow, solely for the next encounter.”
Shirley, who was listening nearby, was confused. She only remembered Angel’s conclusion: “You’re not well-acquainted with him. Why would he look forward to meeting you?”
Angel spread his hands: “I don’t know.”
…
After they left Infinite Battle Tower, Gloria was still pondering Onassis: “Do you understand him now?”
Angel responded with a counter-question: “What about you?”
Gloria neither shook her head nor nodded, but simply furrowed her brow: “I have a feeling he seems to have weaponized philosophy. But upon closer thought, is this even possible? Did I miss something in my observations?”
Angel didn’t fully understand either, but now he somewhat grasps why the internal evaluation of Onassis within the judging panel is filled with question marks — it’s because Onassis’s methods are truly exceedingly peculiar.
However, existence itself is reasonable.
Perhaps he has indeed turned philosophy into a weapon in his hands, or maybe he has even embodied philosophy himself.
For example, when Shirley previously discussed how to defeat him, she mentioned blocking all his information. But can one truly block him completely? The moment you identify him as your opponent, he’s already there.
This, when spoken about, is actually a matter of idealism.
Although they are still filled with questions about Onassis, one thing is clear: Onassis is undoubtedly the dark horse of this Novastar Competition.
Now that Jiebo has been defeated midway, there’s a chance that Onassis might actually take the championship.
…
Gloria and Shirley returned to the mansion, while Angel made another visit to the Bliss Pavilion. This was a special request from Coral when she heard Angel would be coming to watch the competition.
When Angel arrived at the Bliss Pavilion, he saw Alan grilling meat, while Coral sat barefoot on a tree branch, leisurely swinging her legs, simultaneously directing Gank to train… or more accurately, pummel Leon.
Upon Angel’s arrival, Gank ceased the unilateral beating. Angel thought Leon would be upset, but instead, the first thing Leon said after lying on the ground for a while was, “That was awesome!”
It should be “Getting beaten was awesome.”
Angel wanted to ask whether Leon had some sort of unique predilection but ultimately held his tongue.
“Where is Sunisha?” Angel inquired as he sat down.
Coral gestured inside, and Alan responded simultaneously, “Sunisha is inside, taking care of Carvelyn.”
Angel nodded. Now the Bliss Pavilion was quite lively: Nausica was taking care of Hilary, Sunisha was looking after Carvelyn, and Shalem was licking his wounds in his own room, waiting for Black Canon to appear.
The only ones free were them.
Angel looked at Coral: “You asked me to come here after the competition; is there something you wanted to discuss?”
Coral: “Something really important! I want to know the outcome of the competition.”
After Coral’s explanation, Angel also understood that Hilary was in the same group with Onassis and Suyatutai. Now, Hilary has defeated Jiebo and advanced to the semi-finals. Regardless of whether Onassis or Suyatutai wins or loses, the next opponent will definitely be Hilary.
Coral wants to find out from Angel what the opponents’ capabilities are like and how Hilary should respond.
Coral blinked: “After all, Hilary is the only one left from our Savage Grottoes in this Novastar Competition. She’s the hope of all of us. You hope she wins too, right?”
Angel nodded: “I naturally hope Hilary will win, but… I think her chances might be slim.”
“Why?”
“Because her opponent is Onassis.”
Chapter 1602 The World Within the Mind <TOC> Chapter 1604 Success and Failure