It Is Said That I Have Been Crushed By Dimensionality Reduction (Quick Travel) - Chapter 16

As the story of the miraculous pork spread from whispers to wide-eyed awe, even the common folk in town had caught wind of it. But by then, the wealthy had already swooped in and snatched up the last remaining pieces from the restaurant.

Now, with the meat gone, desperate buyers turned their attention to those few lucky villagers who still had a bit left—trying to convince them to sell.

But meat was limited. And when something touches on life, death, and healing, no amount is ever enough.

No matter how rich or connected someone might be, they were still mortal—vulnerable to sickness and age. And with the pork’s power proven, they had only one thought:

Find the couple who brought the pig.

Rumors spread like wildfire that this was no ordinary animal—it was likely a pig demon, something beyond the mundane. Many wanted to secure another such beast, but they weren’t foolish. They knew that the Sun family, who had originally acquired the pork, wouldn’t hang around. They’d surely taken the rest of the meat to the county by now.

So the influential powers of the town banded together and made their move—they would pressure the Sun family to hand over the rest of the pork and work out how it would be shared.

But Sun Dongjia had seen it coming.

Without delay, he had loyal men hoist the carriage and travel without stopping, all the way to the county seat. The boar—massive and unnatural—was brought straight to the family home.

Though they were merchants, the Sun family had long invested in connections, and their influence ran deep. Sun Dongjia’s cousin happened to be a close aide to the prefect. And that was a lifeline.

Once home, Sun Dongjia explained everything to his father—how this pork had healed people, revived the sick, and sparked chaos.

Mr. Sun was stunned.

He knew his son to be honest and shrewd; if he was saying this meat had miraculous properties, it wasn’t a lie.

He demanded to see the pig for himself.

And there it was: a wild boar so large and fierce that any hunter would think twice before approaching it. Something about it didn’t sit right—it didn’t feel like a normal animal.

They were faced with a dilemma.

Keeping the pig would put a target on their backs. But offering it up… well, that could bring massive rewards.

After weighing it all, Mr. Sun made the call.

“Take the pig to your cousin and offer it to the prefect. Leave nothing behind.”

He said it with a heavy heart, knowing full well that the opportunity might never come again. There was no telling whether that strange couple would ever appear again or whether another pig like this even existed.

Sun Dongjia leaned in and whispered, “I secretly saved half a pork leg.”

Mr. Sun grinned. “That’s my boy. Get it into the kitchen—quick. We’ll serve it as a treasured family heirloom.”

Then the entire Sun household sprang into action.

By the time the town’s powerful men arrived at their residence, it was too late. The Sun decision-makers had vanished, leaving only clueless stewards behind.

Enraged, those men headed straight for the county magistrate’s office.

If they couldn’t get the pork, then neither would the Sun family. And they knew—if the magistrate heard about this meat’s powers, he’d be just as desperate to have it.

When the magistrate was told, he flew into a rage.

“What? The Sun family took it for themselves?! Arrest their household! Find the pig!”

He didn’t yet know about the Sun family’s ties to the prefect. All he saw was betrayal—and an opportunity slipping through his fingers.

Still, he was no fool. He ordered a second search effort: Find the mysterious couple who had originally brought the pig.

All across the surrounding villages, strangers began to appear—disguised as peddlers, travelers, or guards. Their intent was clear, even if their words were gentle.

“Have you seen anyone hunting a large boar recently?”

“Did a couple come by, selling wild pork?”

They described the pair in detail, and soon enough, silver was offered to anyone who could help.

At first, the villagers were just wary. But when they realized the sheer number of people searching—and the silver being offered—gossip spread like wildfire.

Though Bai Yuan’s village, Zhaojiacun, was tucked away enough to escape the first wave of questioning, neighboring villages were already buzzing.

By tomorrow, Zhaojiacun would be next.

But Bai Yuan already knew.

Thanks to the energy clusters he had hidden across the nearby regions, he’d been quietly watching—and none of this came as a surprise.

He had removed the natural scent from the pig on purpose. The pork’s lingering energy was no accident; it was his gift to the world.

All of this was orchestrated.

Because the more people believed in monsters… the more their emotions fed him.

Bai Yuan stepped out of his room and quietly told Lin Cuiniang and Zhao Ping’an:

“Don’t leave the house. Stay inside for now.”

They nodded, confused, but trusted him.

Meanwhile, in the County

The Sun family wasted no time. They arrived at the prefect’s residence, found their cousin, and presented the wild boar. They explained its extraordinary effects.

The cousin, a government advisor, was stunned—and skeptical.

“Are you serious?”

Sun Dongjia smiled. “We’ve got a little pork left. Eat some now. You’ll see for yourself tomorrow.”

So they waited.

They didn’t rush to the prefect right away. Instead, they let the results speak first.

Elsewhere, the county magistrate’s men had finally tracked down the Sun family—just in time to see them stepping through the prefect’s gate.

Too late.

They sent word back immediately.

When the magistrate heard, he lost control, smashing his teacup.

“So they’ve aligned with the prefect and left me out? Fine. Let’s see who has the last word.”

He tried to keep calm and asked about the couple.

But his men returned empty-handed. “We’ve searched everywhere—no sign of them. But the story’s spreading fast. It won’t be a secret for long.”

The magistrate scowled.

This wasn’t something he could suppress anymore. Even if he tried to seal it under bureaucratic silence, the news would leak. And once people in higher positions heard about it, he’d be left with nothing.

So, he changed his strategy.

“We’ll say the county office is organizing a campaign to eliminate demons—to protect the people. And under that banner, we’ll be the first to seize the ‘monster’ and deliver it to the governor ourselves.”

He would frame the Sun family as traitors—claim they were colluding with monsters and endangering the country.

If all went well, he’d look like a hero and win favor from above.

A wicked gleam crept into his eyes.

That Night

Bai Yuan stirred from his meditations as the first drops of rain fell.

A soft drizzle, which would soon give way to a storm.

He walked out of the house and stepped into the rain.

Far off, a flood was brewing—a mix of heavy rains and rising rivers. But for Bai Yuan, it was time to act.

He had spent days harvesting emotional energy and now had the fuel he needed.

He pictured a divine form in his mind—powerful and serene.

Step by step, his figure began to glow. His simple clothing shimmered, changing into pale white robes embroidered with shifting seasonal patterns. With every glance, spring, summer, fall, and winter seemed to flow across the fabric.

His face was veiled in soft light—impossible to look at directly.

Each gesture, each movement, was modeled after the immortals described in the system’s archives—graceful, majestic, otherworldly.

Rain fell harder now, spattering the ground with muddy splashes.

But none of it touched Bai Yuan. The light radiating from him repelled it all, forming a barrier of divine grace.

The system froze.

Its data feed flickered.

How…?
How did the host suddenly become a god… right under its nose?!