Life in North America, you call this an autopsy officer?!-Chapter 473 - 270 Nemo, The Path to the Future, The Mysterious Saint (Two in One)_2
Chapter 473: Chapter 270 Nemo, The Path to the Future, The Mysterious Saint (Two in One)_2
Ancient Buddhism could be making a resurgence, perhaps related to this.
...
This time, Brian didn’t bother to call for a helicopter.
He traveled on foot to reach the Himalayas.
There was no other way.
White Elephant Country was stingy; they only offered shuttle service on the first day, and if you wanted to return to the city afterward, you were on your own.
The area was still bustling, but signs of battle damage could be seen on some of the roads, and several tents had also been damaged.
Listening to the idle chatter of the people along the way, Brian learned that in the two days of his absence, there had been more than one scuffle among the members of these international organizations.
Many countries held historical grievances and disputes.
Such enmity was difficult to avoid coming to head in these circumstances.
As long as no modern weapons were used and no one was killed, the White Elephant Country peacekeepers wouldn’t even show their faces; they, like the ascetics, sat in the highest places, striking various poses, each like a statue.
The conference hadn’t yet started.
Brian simply found a spot and began to observe these ascetics of White Elephant Country.
Most of them had disheveled hair and dirt-streaked faces; they wrapped fabric around only certain parts of their bodies, and they were filthy. Some had various iron spikes piercing their skin, their faces painted with grease and unintelligible symbols, appearing as thin as skeletons.
Yet Brian wouldn’t underestimate these individuals.
The reason was simple.
Through his eyes, he saw that most members of the international organizations gathered at the conference site had more than twenty phantom lines shimmering across their bodies.
Phantom lines represented deadly weaknesses.
This meant to Brian that these people were easy prey; a punch to the head or leg would suffice, no need for a second blow—they were easily crushed.
But these ascetics were different.
In Brian’s vision, the most marked of the ascetics had nine phantom lines, but the one with the least had none, all stronger than the members from other countries.
Most startling was the white-bearded old man without a single weakness.
No phantom lines meant no weaknesses.
That didn’t mean he had no weaknesses, but rather with Brian’s strength, he couldn’t kill him.
Him standing there was enough indication that Brian wouldn’t be able to do a thing.
That was frightening.
Brian wasn’t sure if there was an issue with his Heart Eye ability, or if it was something odd about the other person...
...
As Brian was observing the old man with no phantom lines, a brown-haired Caucasian approached him proactively, "Hey, buddy, are you interested in these guys?"
Brian turned and, seeing a stranger, nodded, "Yes, they seem very strong. I’m Brian, from NW, an Autopsy Officer."
"Autopsy Officer?"
The brown-haired man’s eyes showed surprise: "A very rare profession, I mean, it’s rare among the staff of the various country’s organizations. I’m Nemo, a member of the Blood Hand Brotherhood from Canada, and I occasionally deal in trading some particularly special intel."
"Like what?"
Brian was intrigued.
"For instance, these Hindu ascetics you’re curious about; for half a million US Dollars, I can tell you everything I know," Nemo said, seeing Brian’s expression, he chuckled and pulled out a POS machine, "Come on, pal, the information is explosive, I know you’ll swipe that card, right?"
"You talk first!"
Brian had funds but wasn’t a fool.
"Alright, we’re all respectable people here, you wouldn’t stiff the Blood Hand Brotherhood."
Nemo didn’t mind Brian’s proposal. He hopped next to Brian, sat down cross-legged, and lit a leaf rolled from Heavenly Grass.
After taking a deep drag, he lowered his voice and began, "The current Buddhism in White Elephant Country is actually Hinduism from days gone by. The Saint is the contemporary spiritual leader of Hinduism. They believe that Shakyamuni Buddha of Buddhism is the ninth incarnation of Vishnu, seeing both as one and the same..."
"Hold on!"
Brian interrupted, "According to what you said, shouldn’t it still be predominantly Hinduism, then why did it change to Buddhism later on?"
"I’m not sure.
It was a change pushed by the Saint himself.
They initially used the revival of Buddhism as a pretext to purge other sects in the country, but didn’t revert after that.
The Buddhism now practiced in White Elephant Country is still primarily based on Hinduism.
Maybe there’s a special reason for this, but other than the Saint, no one is certain of the specifics, and out of respect for the Saint, the countries rarely keep detailed records or probe into this part of history."
Nemo’s thoughts were a bit scattered.
After his explanation, he pointed at the ascetic monks of White Elephant Country:
"Like these ascetic monks.
They are actually the Ascetic Monks from Hinduism of the past, embracing suffering and self-torture, believing this would allow them to bypass reincarnation and directly ascend to heaven in their next life.
This is also a tenet of Hinduism.
They believe that one needs to endure many cycles of reincarnation, suffering, and tribulation to reach heaven.
The most evident is the caste system: those of a low caste believe that their lowly status, exploitation, enslavement, and inferior birth are due to the heavy sins of past lives, fulfilling their current plight to accumulate merit for a better birth in the next life.
Thus, they willingly serve like oxen and horses."
The information Nemo shared was indeed new to Brian, but he wasn’t interested in this part.
Seeing the man’s train of thought jumping around, Brian had to steer the conversation himself: "I’ve heard that the cultivators of White Elephant Country have a special cultivation system?"
Nemo nodded his head,
"Not just White Elephant Country, Hua Country has it too.
But they are actually pretty similar.
Essentially, it’s a cultivation system for mutants."
