Chapter 1 Summoned? Am I Being Summoned?

Translated by Moe

TL Note: Surprise! This is the only chapter that I plan on translating for The Last Apostle (最后一个使徒), a teaser for one of the most popular ongoing novels on Qidian at the moment. The story follows Du Yuqi in his journey to save both Earth and the new world he has been summoned to. I hope to generate some interest in this story and get this series picked up by another translator. Please check it out.

Chapter 1 Summoned? Am I Being Summoned?

On a scorching summer day, a cicada was singing boisterously on a tree outside. Although the cold air could be heard blowing inside the air conditioner at this time and the teacher on the platform is lecturing in high spirits, the students below can’t help but separate into two groups.

There were those who used their arm to prop up their chin, continually fighting back a yawn, blinking rapidly in their eternal struggle against sleepiness. Then there are those who simply leaned forward to rest on the desk, having abandoned any attempt to muffle their sound of snoring. But as far as Du Yuqi is concerned, he is completely independent of both sides.

He is a junior at Western State University’s School of Medicine and appeared to be extremely dispirited. There’s a prominent red scar that extends from his neck up to his face, and even his hair has traces of being burned by fire. A white bandage is still wrapped around his forehead, emitting the distinct smell of medication. It looks as if he had experienced a serious traffic accident not long ago.

Du Yuqi’s current expression gives the impression that he had nothing to live for like a girl had recently rejected him. At this moment, he seems to be listlessly listening to the lecture, but his eyes had glazed over long ago and were blankly staring at a spot on the table in front of him.

In fact, even the yawning classmate sitting next to him believes there is nothing else besides an anatomy textbook, even going as far as reaching out with his hand to make sure there’s nothing there.

But from Du Yuqi’s point of view, there is an incredibly strange small object that is brimming with a desolate, mysterious aura that is eerily similar to the altars found in legends!

The appearance of the altar is very unusual, perhaps only the size of a basin, and shaped like a monster’s claw that seemed just to stretch out from the void. Its bulging muscles and bones is extremely evident, with a blood red color, and will occasionally emit a peculiar swirling lightning in its surroundings, constantly appearing and disappearing.

This claw only has three toes, with very long jet-black sharp claw nails, and its surface is covered in a dense layer of deep green scales. After seeing it, people will have a kind of primitive, savage feeling will grow in one’s heart. At the center of the claw facing the heavens, there is an outlandish symbol. This symbol resembles some sort of script or sign, making anyone who sees it feel solemn reverence in their hearts.

Every time this altar emerges, the mysterious red scar on Du Yuqi’s chest will give rise to an abnormal sympathetic response. This is probably the reason why Du Yuqi can see and touch the object, and other people seem to have disregarded it as nothing more than air.

Suddenly, this claw-shaped altar slowly clenched into a fist. As it was clenching, rays of light radiate from the small cracks between the tightly clenched toes. Eventually, several black objects materialized as a message from deep within Du Yuqi’s mind quite naturally flitted through his eyes:

“Talakuda Group’s Member Fei Ye offered five baked hard, black bread as a sacrifice and wished for a biological lifeform to accompany her in conducting a brief and straightforward battle. Contract category: Slave.”

“Do you want to respond to this summon?”

Along with the emergence of this message, the claw-shaped altar in front of Du Yuqi opened up once more and resumed its previous form. Five baked hard, black bread appeared in the middle of the palm. Rather than calling it bread, this toy might as well say they are bricks. It seems dry and unappetizing at a glance; he reckons he would lose a few teeth if he bites it.

About a minute or so later, the five baked hard, black bread slowly faded away as if they evaporated into thin air. A new message emerged:

“Little Creek of the Heder Family has responded to Talakuda Group’s Member Fei Ye’s summons. Both parties have successfully established a contract.”

After about ten seconds, the claw-shaped altar re-clenched and then opened, revealing a seemingly worn-out and old-fashioned badge in the middle of the palm.

“Revolving Magic Association’s Summoning Master Li Lan offers Magician Lynn’s seal as sacrifice and wished for a biological lifeform to respond to her summon. Contract Category: Equal.”

“Do you want to respond to this summon?”

Du Yuqi looked up and stared vacantly at the seal. Although it looked dilapidated, it seems to have quite a bit of historical heritage. He could tell from a glance that it was an ancient antique and estimates that it’s worth a pretty penny. At the very least, it should be worth quite a lot more than the black bread.

However, there was no response after more than 120 seconds has passed, so the badge disappeared directly.

“Since no summon lifeform was interested in this offering, this summon failed, and the summoning apprentice’s magic power will be reduced…”

Afterward, an object emerged on the altar once again:

“Grand Blue Lore Order’s Cleric Pant offers a minotaur’s horn as a sacrifice.”

“There’s a storm outside, and I am in the middle of stewing cold ice tiger’s meat on the fireplace, but unfortunately do not have firewood at this time. I wish for any fire elemental to crouch below the stove for an hour and will be incredibly grateful.”

“Pant wishes to summon a fire elemental to assist in cooking specifically and requires a docile temperament and ability to endure solitude.”

“Yade Flame Family’s nascent fire elemental (Bu Mie) responds to the summon.”

“……”

Soon after, the altar repeated the clenching and opening motion yet again, as rays of light radiated from within before a uniquely shaped rod appeared. A sparkling and translucent crystal that seemed to be formed from red agate appeared to the side.

“Nature’s Will Elder Black Moss offers a piece of small red crystal and a Black Bamboo Orient Rod (high energy crystal electrical system) as a sacrifice and wishes to summon a Green Goblin warrior specifically. He requires the summon to attain second order or greater strength and adept at the following core abilities: consecutively throw things a long distance and Ice Bullet Art. Contract category: Slave.”

“More than ten Green Goblin warriors meets the conditions of the summon. As a result, the strongest five will be provided to Summoner Black Moss to select personally.”

……

After seeing the sparkling and translucent crystal that appeared to be formed from red agate, Du Yuqi suddenly recalled a painful memory. He dug his fingers into his hair and rested his forehead on the desk, slightly trembling from head to toe.

Quite a while later, he groaned, “God, is there no end to this? Can’t you let me go?”