America 1919

The giant feared that the pure and the murky air would recombine, so its body grew taller and taller, until eventually it towered, separating heaven and earth.

When the giant fell, its body turned into all things, its breath became the wind and clouds, its voice the thunderous roar, the left eye the sun, the right eye the moon, the hair and beard the stars in the night sky, the body the four extremities of east, west, south, north and the majestic mountains, the flowing blood the raging rivers, the veins the crisscrossing highways, the teeth, bones, and marrow the subterranean ore; the skin and body hair turned into the vegetation on the land, and sweat became the rain and dew.

Even the sweat that flowed transformed into the nourishing rain that moistens all things.

Later, on this land, two deities were born, they were Tao and Nüwa...

Donnie told Irving a story that combined the myth of Pangu's creation of the world with the tumult of ancient legends.

Tao, who is Laozi, Nüwa for the creation of mankind.

Nüwa created humankind, Tao imparted faith.

Irving was but a young man who had not received much education, who had adopted Islam only because he found its teachings quite interesting.

It was after he took an interest in it that he embraced the faith.

There was an important point here; the doctrine needed to be interesting and had to evoke a good impression in Irving for him to believe in it.

If one spoke of storytelling... Donnie didn't think any religion's mythological tales could compare with those of China.

Let alone a foreigner, even a Chinese person would find it impossible to form a complete system out of Chinese mythology.

But nevertheless, a single story could still be very classic!

Therefore, when Irving listened to Donnie tell the story, he initially resisted but soon started to get hooked!

"The story of Sun Wukong teaches us that if you don't strive for something, then nothing will turn out the way you want it to. Had Sun Wukong not fought for it, he would never have attained the Golden Cudgel, nor would he have become an eternal being like the heavens and earth."

It was precisely because Sun Wukong later stopped striving that he could only become a powerless disciple of Tang Sanzang, no matter how diligently he assisted him with various quests for enlightenment, in the end, he still couldn't gain the other's trust!

Okay, Donnie had gone from Pangu's creation to the Journey to the West for Irving, but here Donnie made some changes, mainly because he was worried that Irving's little brain wouldn't be able to take in so much story all at once, causing his CPU to burn out!

"So, Mr. Block, what you mean is, everything needs to be fought for by oneself rather than waiting for others' charity?"

Donnie nodded and said, "That's right, if Pangu hadn't striven, he never could've separated heaven from earth, if Nüwa hadn't endeavored to create people, she wouldn't have become a holy being, if Tao hadn't spread the teachings, he couldn't have become the supreme deity.

Your situation is the same; you think that when LeBron retires, he will hand his position over to you, but don't Embiid and Love think the same way?

The main thing is, LeBron has two sons. If he hands his position over to you, what about them?"

Irving fell silent, there were some issues as an involved party that he really didn't want to think about. They prefer to believe in something simple, and for Irving, it was like this; he wanted to believe that LeBron truly wanted to retire and would eventually give the position of the boss of the North District to him.

He didn't want to think about things related to Embiid and Love, nor did he want to consider matters concerning LeBron's sons, because thinking about these issues would complicate something simple.

Complex matters are always unsettling.

But now Donnie had voiced this issue.

So he had no choice but to think about it.

"Nucky backs Embiid, even if LeBron truly wants to retire, do you think from Nucky's perspective, he would prefer to let Embiid, someone more familiar and obedient to him become the boss of the North District, or you, a person he doesn't know well?"

Donnie added another chip to his own scale!

Irving, with an urgent expression, asked Donnie, "Mr. Block, what should I do then?"

Donnie replied, "Didn't the mythological tale I just told you explain it? Everything has to be fought for. If you want to be the boss of the North District, I can help you, but you need to take action yourself. Besides, you should also think about why I chose to help you instead of Love."

Just as Irving was about to say something, Donnie gestured with his hand, interrupting him.

"Don't be in a hurry to answer me, you should consider this matter carefully. You can come to me this time tomorrow!"

After Donnie finished speaking, he stood up, and Irving knew it was time for him to leave.

However, as he was leaving, Irving suddenly said somewhat sheepishly to Donnie, "Mr. Block, that creation myth you told me just now, which sect's doctrine is it?"

Donnie, with hands clasped behind his back, lightly uttered one word, "Tao!"

.

The next day, at the goat tavern in the North District of Atlantic City.

This was LeBron's new tavern opened last month, also the finest tavern in the entire North District.

"It's been verified, indeed there was a drunkard from Philadelphia who left Block Tavern the day before yesterday morning, and not long after he died, presumably from drinking our liquor!"