Veins popped in Li Huowang's charred forehead. His blood literally boiled from the intense heat but was cooled down by the rain.
Come on! Didn't I turn an entire land into reality? I need to show them the strength of my cultivation! Tear it apart!
Li Huowang forcefully tore apart the array on the ground along with the land itself.
Veins burst open in his head as he fell weakly from the air. He stared at the being retreating into the clouds and laughed.
"HAHAHA! This is so fun! Ba-Hui, did you see that?! Look at what others have given me compared to what you've given me! You are a disgrace!"
Li Huowang was just inches away from the ground when he swiftly twisted his body and landed on the soft earth.
Everyone had stopped moving as they stared at Li Huowang with shock. They saw Li Huowang forcefully tearing apart the entire array.
The Dharma Sect members wavered, including even the most zealous devotees of god Yu'er. All of them hesitated when it came to defeating Li Huowang. They began asking themselves whether they could actually defeat Li Huowang.
Even Taishan Shi was not in a good mood. He had never expected something like this to happen. He knew Li Huowang was the Twisted One of Ji Zai, but he never expected him to be that strong.
Taishan Shi knew he needed to call the Imperial Preceptor if he wanted to kill Li Huowang, as the latter had improved dramatically in a short time. He had to eliminate Li Huowang quickly, or Li Huowang might actually destroy the Dharma Sect's plan.
Even though Li Huowang used up almost all of his strength to tear the array apart, he refused to fall despite being surrounded by the Dharma Sect. At this point, his head was still buzzing from overexertion.
Still, that did not stop Li Huowang from attacking them. Li Huowang raised his hand and made a crushing gesture towards one of the Dharma Sect's witches. The witch's head exploded just like that.
"I didn't really understand what you told me just now, but I do think that you all are right in certain aspects. The human body can really be like bubbles. For example, your bodies are just like bubbles in my hands."
Li Huowang raised his arm and crushed another Dharma Sect member's head. He then pointed his arm at Taishan Shi.
Taishan Shi looked at Li Huowang and then at the soldiers swarming into the city. Without any hesitation, he made a seal with his hands and immediately tunneled into the ground.
Taishan Shi had failed. He had underestimated how strong Li Huowang was. Thankfully, he didn't reveal the spy they planted in the Surveillance Bureau, or else they would've suffered some major losses.
Taishan Shi's voice came from below. "Go! Kill him! He's on his last legs!"
Upon hearing this, the remaining Dharma Sect members charged at Li Huowang with madness in their eyes, all while the rain continued to pour down.
They weren't a match for Li Huowang before, and they naturally couldn't win now either.
Li Huowang realized that Taishan Shi and the others were trying to escape. I can't let him get away! He's definitely in the upper ranks of the Dharma Sect!
It was difficult to track Taishan Shi since he had been tunneling underground. Li Huowang hadn't learned any tracking methods, so he didn't know where Taishan Shi was.
Li Huowang also knew his divination was too weak to be effective on Taishan Shi. He would just embarrass himself if he tried.
The other Dharma Sect members were throwing themselves at Li Huowang, disregarding their lives as they tried to secure time for Taishan Shi to escape.
The Dharma Sect had many members. Even if they didn't move, Li Huowang would still need quite some time to kill them all. Thankfully, the soldiers from outside managed to breach the wall and enter the city.
Li Huowang ignored the soldiers and crouched as he tried to find the traces of Taishan Shi tunneling underground.
He refused to give up on Taishan Shi just like that. Li Huowang fully intended to pay back the personal grudge he had towards Taishan Shi. He refused to give up until there were no traces left.
"There's still some traces here. Li Sui, let's go!" Li Huowang jumped onto Peng Longteng's horse and ran out of the eastern city gates. He was hoping that he could catch up to Taishan Shi.
Time passed, and the traces on the ground gradually turned faint. Li Huowang was getting anxious.
He finally stopped in front of a swamp. Li Huowang looked at the mangrove forest by the river. The running water had already washed away most of the traces.
"Ah..." Li Huowang sighed and plunged into the river to extinguish the flames on his body.
His body sizzled in the water as the flames slowly died out. His body was already charred black by then.
Instead of the usual charred skin he had before, Li Huowang now had charred, fleshy scales since the fire seared him from the inside out.
It was a relief that his regenerative ability had increased a lot. The flesh scales gradually healed and merged back into his body.
The intense pain slowly changed into itchiness as his body healed. LI Huowang gritted his teeth, finding the sensation far from comfortable. The itchiness was so overwhelming that Li Huowang would have preferred pain instead.
Standing in the river, he endured the itch and pondered his situation.
It's clear that the Dharma Sect is paying attention to me now—their trap wasn't a coincidence. I have to be careful or they will ambush me again.
Li Huowang had used his strongest abilities in front of them today. It would be difficult if he was ambushed again.
It would've been good if I managed to capture Taishan Shi. I could've gotten a lot of information out of him.
Li Huowang was still thinking when he noticed a presence. He looked at the mangrove forest and unsheathed his sword. "Who's there?!"
A figure slowly appeared from the shadows of the trees. Li Huowang was shocked to see that it was Taishan Shi, the very person he was chasing.
Taishan Shi was injured—both of his arms were twisted off, his right leg was broken, and his scalp was nowhere to be seen. Blood was flowing down his body.
Someone pushed Taishan Shi from behind, causing him to stumble across the river towards Li Huowang.
Li Huowang saw who it was. It was Bai Lingmiao! Her upper body was split in half, and red veils covered both of her heads. "Senior Li, look. I'm useful, so please don't abandon me next time, okay?"
Li Huowang ignored Taishan Shi as he walked towards Bai Lingmiao with gratitude. He suddenly remembered something and stopped in front of Bai Lingmiao. He had a bad feeling. "Wait, don't move."
"Senior Li?" Bai Lingmiao was confused.
"I need to ask a question first. Are you the real Bai Lingmiao or a fake one I've conjured?"
Chapter 721 - Method
'Truth' cultivation significantly enhanced Li Huowang's strength, but the side effects were equally severe.
"Is it real? Or fake?" Li Huowang breathed heavily and looked doubtfully at Bai Lingmiao.
"Senior Li, what's happening to you—" Bai Lingmiao began, but Li Huowang quickly interrupted, "Don't come closer!"
"Let me ask you! Back at Zephyr Temple... No, that's not the right question. If she's truly part of my 'Truth' cultivation, then she would definitely know!"
Li Huowang paced anxiously in the river. Despite his advanced cultivation, he couldn't distinguish reality from illusion. Everything could be real if he willed it.
"Hehehe..." Taishan Shi chuckled mockingly at this sight. "As expected of Ji Zai's Twisted One."
Smack! Li Huowang's palm landed on Taishan Shi's cheek, causing it to swell instantly. "Shut up! Your turn to cry will come soon!"
After some thought, Li Huowang said, "Miaomiao, don't worry. We will... we'll do this."
"We'll go back now, the same way we came." This was a stupid method, but also an effective one.
If there wasn't another Bai Lingmiao on the way back, this one was real. If there was, then she was the fake one.
Bai Lingmiao neither agreed nor disagreed. Instead, she questioned him directly, "Senior Li, can you tell me what's happening? Are you having another episode?"
Li Huowang's erratic behavior worried her greatly.
"I'm not—" Li Huowang didn't want to explain too much to this Bai Lingmiao. "Fine, maybe."
He also didn't want to invest too much emotion. What if she turned out to be fake? What would he do in that case? Would he make her disappear, or would he live with two Bai Lingmiaos?
Li Huowang turned around and took out his tools to interrogate Taishan Shi. Suddenly, he noticed something strange about Bai Lingmiao's reflection in the water.
Initially, he thought it was a mistake. Upon closer inspection, the reflection remained still. The water's surface had turned into a mirror.
Li Huowang turned around slowly. He was shocked to see Bai Lingmiao's body swaying like a shadow submerged in water!
"So you really are fake?" Li Huowang said, and Bai Lingmiao's body began to flicker and gradually fade into nothingness.
"Senior Li! Li Huowang! What are you doing? Help me!" Bai Lingmiao was panicking. She began to drum and chant the White Lotus Sect's incantations.
As her body was about to vanish, the lotus mark on her forehead glowed softly and blocked Li Huowang's sight.
The light obscured his vision, and at that moment, he felt something familiar—the presence of the Heavenly Mater.
The feeling came and went quickly. However, Li Huowang realized something critical from it. He rushed forward and fearfully embraced Bai Lingmiao.
Despite facing numerous trials in the past, he had never been afraid. But just now, he felt utterly afraid. If not for the Heavenly Mater's brief reminder, he might have erased Bai Lingmiao entirely!
With his current abilities, he could restore her. However, would she truly be the same Bai Lingmiao?
Bai Lingmiao tried to push him away, but his embrace was incredibly tight. "Li Huowang, what's going on? Explain yourself! Are you having another episode? Just tell me if you are!"
A group of White Lotus followers ignored the Saintess's orders and rushed forward. "How dare you be disrespectful to the Saintess!"
After calming down, Li Huowang released Bai Lingmiao and lifted her red veil. He gently stroked her hair, scales, spikes, and numerous eyes.
Through this experience, Li Huowang understood the gravity of his situation. He knew he couldn't ignore the side effects of his 'Truth' cultivation any longer.
If left unchecked, the people he created would affect his sanity, and he could also unknowingly erase people around him. It was a serious threat.
Bai Lingmiao had the Heavenly Mater's protection, but what about the others? What if it had been Suisui?
His heart tightened when he recalled a false Suisui that appeared briefly during his training in the forest.
"What happened? What have you been through while I was gone? Explain!" Bai Lingmiao demanded.
Li Huowang had discerned the truth for now, and he began to explain everything to her.
An hour later, they were by a campfire. Li Huowang donned the red Daoist robe she handed him. "That's the story. I'm not sick. I've achieved advanced 'Truth' cultivation. I knew there would be a price, but I didn't expect it to be this steep."
This issue would likely worsen as his cultivation progressed. It was dangerous now, and he dared not imagine what the future would hold.
Bai Lingmiao nodded as she finally understood his previous strange behavior. "Senior Li, do you have a plan to solve this problem?"
Li Huowang sighed. "I wish I knew, but the solution can't come from just idle thinking."
He decided to ask Ji Zai first.
Bai Lingmiao frowned and tried to think of a solution alongside him. The surroundings fell silent.
Li Sui also wanted to help her father, but she didn't fully grasp what he said about the truth and lies. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
Li Huowang returned from the river after calling for Ji Zai to no avail. Bai Lingmiao asked, "Senior Li, do you remember that person? The one who sold breakfast?"
"Sold breakfast? Who?"
"The chubby one who made fried dough sticks wrapped in glutinous rice."
"Shai Zi?" Li Huowang immediately remembered. Shai Zi had targeted him to achieve his own goals.
"When you left the city, he shouted something to you."
"You will go mad by cultivating 'Truth' but not 'Lies.'"
"I will go mad by cultivating 'Truth' but now 'Lies.'"
The two of them said simultaneously.
"Right, Senior Li, he was referring to this. Given your current state, it seems like you've gone mad, right?"
Li Huowang's face darkened. The logic made sense, but the source was questionable. Shai Zi was the leader of the Sitting Oblivion Dao. Was there another hidden motive behind his words? Even in death, could the Sitting Oblivion Dao deceive them?
Chapter 722 - Remove
A drop of brown sauce slowly slid down the plump chicken drumstick, landing on the heap of steaming white rice.
Qian Fu didn't care about that. He held a drumstick in each hand and took a big bite of the braised chicken. He savored the delicious taste as the rich flavor filled his mouth, leaving him very satisfied.
This wasn't enough for him. While eating, he kept eyeing the plate, worried that Chen Hongyu might snatch it away.
Li Huowang sat across from them and watched in exasperation as they ate. He regretted inviting them to his home.
"Come, eat more. There's plenty left." Sun Xiaoqin smiled and brought another plate of drumsticks from the kitchen. Her hair was freshly curled.
"Mom, we already have enough."
Sun Xiaoqin didn't respond. Yang Na reached under the table and pinched Li Huowang hard.
"Why are you pinching me?" Li Huowang asked. Yang Na looked at him with some dissatisfaction.
Qian Fu loudly burped, interrupting them.
"You're already full. Don't overeat. It's not just about money. Don't upset your stomach."
Qian Fu took two more drumsticks from the plate, shoved them into the rice, and then glared at Li Huowang.
"You don't understand! It's a hunger burp!" he said, then picked up his chopsticks and devoured the food.
Chen Hongyu was not to be outdone. She grabbed a braised drumstick and tore it apart with her teeth. When she pulled it out, only a clean bone remained.
This seemed almost like a special ability compared to her disgusting pus-filled boils.
Sun Xiaoqin leaned close to Li Huowang and whispered, "How can you talk like that? They're guests who came to help you. Besides, a big bag of frozen drumsticks from the supermarket isn't that expensive. It's even cheaper than some vegetables."
Li Huowang sighed and stopped talking as he watched them continue to wolf down the food. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞
"Do you want some?"
"No, thanks. Watching them eat has filled me up."
Li Huowang watched as their bellies swelled after three plates. He was amazed at the sight, which he had only seen in cartoons as a child.
After lunch, the two reclined in their chairs and rubbed their bellies contentedly.
Li Huowang glanced at the kitchen, then leaned forward and asked quietly, "Have you two not eaten lately? How are you so hungry?"
"You can't carry yesterday's meal over to today. We have to eat every day. What a funny guy," Qian Fu said just as a knock came from the door.
"Coming," Yang Na said as she put on her slippers and walked over. "Qing Wanglai? Come in. Those two behind you are..."
Li Huowang turned to see Qing Wanglai, dressed in white and blue, entering with two other people.
The two didn't speak to Li Huowang. They simply lifted his foot and removed the device around his ankle.
After they left, Li Huowang turned to Qing Wanglai. "What's this about?"
"The Neighborhood Office surveillance is gone, but they'll still check in periodically. Also, you can't leave the province or the city."
"You're free to move around now, but there's still one device on your leg. It's best to avoid crowded places to avoid provoking them."
Li Huowang was stunned. He rushed to the window to look outside, where he saw Madam Qi and some others gesturing towards him before leaving the neighborhood.
Li Huowang was astonished. "Are they really gone? How did you do it?"
Though they hadn't known each other long, Qing Wanglai seemed far more reliable than the other two mentally unstable individuals.
"Simple. I got a lawyer to check. The extended surveillance and house arrest were infringing on your personal freedom.
"You should have regained your freedom last month since you passed the doctor's check, but you know how it is. Higher-ups say one thing, and those below exaggerate to avoid trouble. I also pulled some strings."
"I see."
Qing Wanglai chuckled and said, "I don't think you fully understand."
Li Huowang frowned. This guy had a strange way of speaking.
"Anyway, thanks for your help. Now that I'm free, let's go somewhere to talk." Li Huowang headed eagerly for the door.
Qing Wanglai stopped Li Huowang. "Don't be in such a rush. If you start wandering around right after the restrictions are lifted, it'll raise suspicions."
Qing Wanglai saw Sun Xiaoqin bring fruit to the table and patted Li Huowang's shoulder. "I'll pick you up at nine tonight. I've found a safe place where you can meet some new friends."
"New friends?" Li Huowang felt curious. Were there more allies out there?
Soon, Qing Wanglai left with Qian Fu and Chen Hongyu, who took some fruit with them. Sun Xiaoqin looked happier than Li Huowang at the news of his regained freedom.
"Are you actually free now? Can you go out now?" Sun Xiaoqin was overjoyed.
"Yes." Li Huowang nodded. He was deep in thought about what to do next.
"Stay here. I'll go buy groceries and call your dad to skip his night shift. We'll celebrate tonight!"
Only Yang Na and Li Huowang remained after she left.
"Huowang, do you believe Qing Wanglai? I'm still suspicious of him."
"I don't fully trust him, but if I want to shake these people off, I need their help. Their surveillance is tightening," Li Huowang said, turning and looking at the building outside.
"They're watching now?" Yang Na pulled the curtain and peeked out. "Where? Which one?"
"They're not in the neighborhood. They're using binoculars from a distance!" Li Huowang stared at the distant high-rise buildings.
"Really?" Yang Na squinted, then studied Li Huowang's face. "Can you really feel their gazes?"
"Yes, it's a distinct feeling. Their hostile gazes are getting stronger!"
Li Huowang continued, "I guess it won't be long before they make a move. I need to act first."
Time flew by and evening quickly arrived. Despite the celebratory dinner for his freedom, Li Huowang had little appetite. He was preoccupied with thoughts of the new friends Qing Wanglai had mentioned and how to collaborate against their common enemy.
By nightfall, Li Huowang said goodbye to Sun Xiaoqin and prepared to leave with Yang Na.
His mother didn't ask much, and his father even slipped him some money. Li Huowang judged that they might have misunderstood the situation.
As he stepped out of the neighborhood without surveillance for the first time, a four-seater white sports car pulled up before him.
"Get in," Qing Wanglai said with one hand on the steering wheel.
Chapter 723 - Car
"Is this car very expensive?" Li Huowang asked. He ran his hand along the red leather interior and glanced at Qing Wanglai in the driver's seat.
The car sped along, where the engine's hum rose and fell as they drove. Li Huowang didn't know much about cars, but the sound of the engine and the sleek design made it clear that it was beyond his own family's means.
At that moment, Yang Na gasped in surprise—she had checked the price on her phone. She whispered the price to Li Huowang, making him slowly withdraw his hand from the leather.
Judging from Qing Wanglai's poor appearance in the cafeteria, Li Huowang never would have thought that Qing Wanglai could afford such an expensive car.
"So what if it's expensive or cheap? It's just a projection anyway. I'm more curious about what exactly this car is a projection of," Qing Wanglai said, adopting his usual philosophical viewpoint.
Li Huowang changed the topic. "Where are we going? What's the exact location?"
"Orange Isle," Qing Wanglai replied. He tapped a few times on the screen in front of him, causing soft piano music to fill the car.
"Orange Isle? Why are we going there?" Yang Na was more familiar with the local spots than Li Huowang, who had been hospitalized for a long time.
She continued, "I heard the houses with river views were abandoned because of unpaid debts. There's no one there at night."
"That's the point. No people, no gossip. Also, turn off your phones to avoid being tracked. I'm not sure what our electronic devices are projections of."
Li Huowang pulled out his phone and sent a quick message to Sun Xiaoqin to let her know he was safe. After sending the message, he turned off his phone.
As the shutdown jingle played, he looked at Qing Wanglai's profile, illuminated intermittently by neon lights. "Can you tell us now who we're meeting tonight? If they're on our side, do they also believe in your projection hypothesis of the world?"
Qing Wanglai shook his head. "No, it's not the same. Let me start from the beginning. Our world is a projection of some existence. It's not just me who knows this. Others know this, including you."
Li Huowang became more attentive. This was good news. The more allies he had, the better his chances against their enemies.
"I've searched for such people, but they're rare, and most have mental issues. Due to superstition or lack of education, they don't understand the true nature of the world. They're often stubborn and create their own worldviews to explain unexplainable events."
"I've found them, tried to unify them, and conducted various tests and experiments."
"Experiments?"
"Yes. Once I gather enough solid evidence, I plan to publish it and prove the universal projection hypothesis."
"If you already have evidence, you must publish it! This could make you famous. Could I take a look?" Yang Na said excitedly.
Qing Wanglai glanced at Yang Na through the rearview mirror. "It's not that simple. Do you know about the observer effect? I observed this phenomenon in my 31st experiment and 52nd control experiment.
"It's like Pandora's box if we don't fully understand it. If this gets out, what will be the result of the observer effect from seven billion people? No one knows.
"If something goes wrong, we might not even exist as projections anymore."
Li Huowang interrupted their conversation, "Ahem, Qing Wanglai, you're off-topic. I asked who we're meeting tonight."
Qing Wanglai thought momentarily and replied, "They're friends on our side. If you can sense them, then you're with us. Since they pose a threat to you and Qian Fu, I thought we could work together to solve this problem."
"How many friends are we talking about?"
"I've found thirteen people for now. Five refused or couldn't communicate, so there are eight, including you."
"What do you know about the people who tried to kidnap me?"
"Not much more than you. I asked around, and some of them also felt something was wrong, but it hasn't affected them much yet. Is there anything else I need to clarify?"
"No." Li Huowang began to calculate in his head. In addition to himself, Qian Fu, Chen Hongyu, and Qing Wanglai, four others would be coming tonight.
He didn't know how much help these strangers could provide. It was hard to say how things would unfold without knowing the motives of those who wanted to kidnap him. He could only take things one step at a time.
The car fell silent as each of them got lost in their own thoughts.
The lights gradually dimmed as Qing Wanglai's car entered Orange Isle. The area was desolate, with half-completed infrastructure.
The intersections had no working traffic lights, and the only car on the road was Qing Wanglai's.
The rows of unfinished townhouses in the distance looked like tombstones.
This place seemed abandoned and overgrown with weeds compared to the bustling landscape they had left. Yang Na looked worried and hugged herself as goosebumps rose on her arms.
Li Huowang pulled her close and said to Qing Wanglai, "Turn up the air conditioner. It's a bit cold."
"Alright."
Li Huowang suddenly sensed something and looked sharply at the dark intersection to the left. "Enemy attack!"
A truck with no lights and covered license plates barreled toward them from that direction.
Li Huowang instinctively shielded Yang Na with his body. The screeching sound of brakes filled the air as the car started to roll violently.
Amid the chaos, Li Huowang felt pain everywhere, but he couldn't afford to lose focus. The intense danger heightened his awareness.
As his surroundings stabilized slightly, Li Huowang tried to open the door, but he found it was stuck. He was pinned by the seat, so he gritted his teeth and slammed his head against the window.
Bang!
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several blows later, blood trickled down the cracked glass.
Through the bloodstained window, Li Huowang saw two men brandishing long weapons get out of the truck.
Chapter 724 - Sister Wu
Li Huowang was trapped inside the overturned sports car, struggling to move.
He watched in panic as the figures approached. He knew he had to escape immediately, or else he'd be at their mercy.
He pounded on the glass several times, striking it multiple times until his bloodied head finally broke through. His enraged eyes locked onto the two men armed with various tools.
The sight of Li Huowang's grotesque appearance frightened them, prompting them to quickly retreat.
"Oh my god, it's a sports car! Run! We'll never be able to pay for this!"
"I told you not to take this road! Look at the mess we're in just to save a bit on toll fees!"
"Stop talking and get in the truck! There's no surveillance here. They won't find us!"
As they scrambled away, Li Huowang managed to crawl out of the car. He gritted his teeth and charged at the truck that had just hit him.
He wouldn't let them get away scot-free after what they did.
By the time the truck started, he had already brandished a knife and dashed to the front.
He climbed up the ladder, grabbed onto the mirror, and then slashed at the window, leaving a mark. "Get out!"
When they saw his bloody face rise up from the window, the two men screamed and floored the accelerator.
The sudden acceleration caused Li Huowang to lose his grip on the mirror and tumble towards the wheels.
He quickly rolled away to narrowly avoid being crushed. He used all his strength and stabbed at the tire, but the blade snapped under the pressure. His hand was also injured, but he had carved a long gash in the tire.
Li Huowang panted heavily and got up.
Previously, it was just kidnapping and surveillance, with Wang Wei using ropes at most. But now, they're even using trucks to ram us.
Li Huowang's expression grew grimmer as he watched the truck's tail lights fade into the distance.
If not for his sharp senses, they would have been dead. Their actions were getting more outrageous. They had to fight back soon.
"It's okay, I recorded everything. They committed a hit-and-run, and they're fully responsible for the crash," Qing Wanglai said and stopped the video he was recording on his phone.
"How did you get out?" Li Huowang asked.
Qing Wanglai held up a safety hammer.
"Turning off our phones didn't work. They still have other methods to track us, which is how they ambushed us."
"Let's not dwell on that now. Your head injury is more urgent," Qing Wanglai said. He removed his shirt and used it to apply pressure to Li Huowang's wound. The white fabric quickly turned red with blood.
"It's just a scratch. Let's get going and regroup. I'm worried about the others."
"Are you kidding? Stay put. I'll get help." Qing Wanglai swiftly dialed a number.
"Are you okay, Nana?" Li Huowang asked Yang Na. She was teary-eyed, watching him with deep concern.
Qing Wanglai's friend arrived faster than expected. A shabby RV pulled up.
A cheerful woman with a blue headscarf, dreadlocks, and eyebrow piercings leaned out the window. "Junior! What happened? A car accident?"
"I told you before. This car is fast but not as sturdy as my third-hand RV," she said.
"Sister Wu, stop joking around. Can't you see there are injured people?"
Qing Wanglai and Yang Na helped the bleeding Li Huowang into the RV. The inside was messy but cozy.
Sister Wu quickly pulled out a first aid kit, and she expertly cleaned and stitched Li Huowang's wounds. She stabilized his broken hand with a splint and even gave him a couple of injections.
"Young people heal fast. Looks like you won't need a blood transfusion. Think of it as a donation in advance," she patted his shoulder, her hand adorned with colorful nails.
"Thanks, Sister Wu," Li Huowang said. He stood up to leave the RV.
"Where are you going?" Qing Wanglai asked.
"Now that I'm patched up, we should regroup with the others," Li Huowang replied.
"She's one of the eight people we're meeting. We'll take her RV." Qing Wanglai pointed at Sister Wu, who was drinking water.
"So you're Li Huowang? I'm Wu Qi. Nice to meet you," she said. She shook his hand and then headed for the driver's seat. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
"She's one of them?" Li Huowang looked at her broad shoulders in surprise. This woman, who seemed to be in her twenties, didn't look crazy at all.
"Thank you, Sister Wu, for helping Huowang stop his bleeding quickly. You're amazing," Yang Na said, expressing here gratitude.
"It was nothing. I've dealt with far worse in the emergency room and brought people back from the brink of death countless times," Wu Qi replied.
Yang Na glanced at Li Huowang, then continued, "You used to work in a hospital?"
Wu Qi became excited. "Yeah. They said that heaven would strike those who persuade others to do medicine with lightning. It was absolutely right."
"I learned that the hard way. We're always busy, have low pay, and there's no time off. Why did I even choose this career? Sometimes several people die in front of me in a single day."
Li Huowang looked around the RV. He noticed travel photos held by magnets on the fridge, including one of Wu Qi at Leshan Giant Buddha. There was also a long string of prayer beads hanging on the wall.
The conversation continued while Li Huowang studied this arrangement.
"The negativity was overwhelming. One day, I realized I was so stressed that I almost missed my period. I asked myself, what's the point of life? We only live for a few decades. Are we really going to work ourselves to death just for some money?
"I finally understood. I decided to live for myself and be happy. Houses, cars, money. They are all meaningless.
"From then on, I knew what it meant to be free. I'm much happier now, without those constraints.
"You should try it too. That's what it means to really live."
Chapter 725 - Unfinished Building
Wu Qi's RV headed deeper into Orange Isle. Li Huowang bent over and looked out the window at the dark, unfinished buildings surrounding them.
Puddles and randomly placed construction materials on the road slowed the RV, and its headlights cast a white glow on the road ahead.
Li Huowang thought he saw a figure flash past one of the unfinished buildings, but he didn't sense anyone watching him.
After about five minutes, the rolling tires gradually came to a stop.
"Look at the place you found. It's a nightmare to drive through. My car's paint is all scratched up," Wu Qi complained as she opened the driver's door.
"Sister Wu, how many times has this RV changed hands? Does it even have any paint left to scratch?" Qing Wanglai joked, sidestepping Wu Qi's kick when he got out.
Li Huowang also got out of the RV with the support of Yang Na.
He looked up at the unfinished building in front of them and asked Qing Wanglai, "Which floor?"
Before he could respond, a flashlight flashed towards them from the sixth floor. Li Huowang walked towards the unfinished building and started walking up the stairs, which were missing their railings.
When he reached the sixth floor, he saw complete darkness with no sign of any light.
What's going on? There was just light here. Did I get the wrong floor?
He moved towards the window to count the floors. Suddenly, a pale man's face appeared before him, and he shouted, "Wake up! It's all fake!"
"..."
Li Huowang saw a young man with dyed yellow hair. He used a flashlight to illuminate his own face in a mock ghost impression. Li Huowang had never seen any ghost wearing a tongue stud before
"Is it just you? Shouldn't Qian Fu and Chen Hongyu be here too?" he asked.
"I told you this wouldn't scare him. Eh, Li Huowang, what happened to your head?" Chen Hongyu's voice came from the darkness.
Chen Hongyu and Qian Fu emerged. Under the flashlight, they were sharing a bag of spicy strips, and their mouths were smeared with red oil.
The young man laughed nervously and set the flashlight on the ground as a makeshift light source.
As Qing Wanglai and Wu Qi arrived, the abandoned building began to feel more lively.
"What happened to your head?" Qian Fu asked Li Huowang.
"It's a long story. Something happened on the way here. I'll explain later," Li Huowang said while he looked at the young man who had tried to scare him.
The man wore heavy black eye makeup and strange leather clothing. His exceptionally pale face suggested a lack of sunlight.
Perhaps because of Sun Xiaoqin's teachings, Li Huowang felt an inexplicable aversion to his appearance.
Qing Wanglai cleared his throat and introduced the young man. "This is Zhao Lei. Zhao Lei, this is Li Huowang, the one I told you about."
"You can call me Steven," Zhao Lei said, extending his hand with a black ring on it.
Li Huowang shook his hand. "Hello, Zhao Lei. I'm Li Huowang."
Zhao Lei rocked back and forth. "Hehe, I said my English name, but you still followed the standard process."
What's with him? He's so odd.
Li Huowang frowned. He had almost thought there wouldn't be any more eccentrics in this group.
He had assumed that others would step out of the darkness. To his surprise, he realized that no one else was coming.
"Weren't there supposed to be eight people? Why are there only six?" Li Huowang asked Qing Wanglai.
"Maybe something came up and they couldn't make it," Qing Wanglai replied.
"Do you have their numbers? Call them and check." Li Huowang felt somewhat uneasy. They had an accident, and it was too coincidental for two people not to show up.
If their luck hadn't been good earlier, wouldn't four people be missing from this meeting now?
Qing Wanglai said seriously, "They don't use phones. They're afraid of being monitored."
He clapped to get everyone's attention. "Have any of you contacted Brother Bone or Aunt Yan recently? Or met them?"
Qing Wanglai knew something was wrong when he saw their confused reactions. "I brought you all here to announce something. We might have a problem with the projection side. Brother Bone and Aunt Yan are late and possibly in trouble. Do you guys see Li Huowang's injury? Our previous encounter is proof of this."
"We can't handle this alone. We need to work together to stay safe and deal with any threats, no matter what their projections are."
Everyone stood silently and absorbed his words instead of questioning them. It was unclear if they already suspected something or simply didn't care. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶
Li Huowang coughed and broke the silence. "What's your plan in this situation?"
Qing Wanglai replied, "From the truck incident, it seems that you are very sensitive to their presence?"
"No, it's not sensitivity. I can feel them watching me. When they watch me, I can feel it!" Li Huowang said firmly.
"Can you sense them now?"
Li Huowang closed his eyes and breathed deeply. After five minutes, he shook his head. "No, this place is safe. They can't find us here."
Before Qing Wanglai could respond, Qian Fu stood up. "Listen to me! Everyone, listen to me!"
He continued excitedly, "The two are not just missing, but they're dead! If not, they're imprisoned like I was! It's all a conspiracy by the Leotians! We must thwart their plans!"
He grabbed Li Huowang's arm. "I have a plan! The Leotians are interested in his genes. We can use him as bait to capture their UFO!"
The others turned to Qian Fu as they listened to his outlandish claims.
Chapter 726 - Act
"What?! You actually acknowledged Qian Fu's plan? Don't you know that he's crazy?" Li Huowang stared wide-eyed at Qing Wanglai.
"I don't mean for you to become bait, but rather the trap that catches the rat."
"Isn't that the same thing?!"
"Of course it's not the same thing. We won't cast you aside as bait. Since you can sense them, you will be our eyes. We would never cast away our eyes, would we?"
Li Huowang knew Qing Wanglai was right. Their enemy was no longer just after him—they were targeting everyone around him.
Li Huowang was certain that they wouldn't betray him with the external threats they were facing.
But Li Huowang also knew he couldn't become their pawn. Everyone here had previously met and worked together before, except for Li Huowang himself.
After consoling Li Huowang, Qing Wanglai continued his explanation. "Since we are all projections, we first need to confirm what they've become after they projected themselves here. As projections, they must also conform to the rules of this world. As long as we can identify them, we can use the rules of this world to help us. More importantly, it might allow us to communicate and negotiate with them to solve this crisis. If you think about it, we could solve many things through communication."
"Fine!" Li Huowang nodded. I don't care if he's speaking gibberish right now. I want to bring the fight to them since they used a truck to ram me.
It would be best if he could get definitive proof to show that someone had the intention to harm them, or other people would think Li Huowang and the others were crazy.
Only then would anyone believe him if he reported it to the police.
"Hehe... It's useless... Everything is fake. Everything is fake..." Zhao Lei's voice resounded in the room. "There's no projection. There's no danger. You guys are terrible at making up stories."
Li Huowang frowned at the weird man, Zhao Lei. What's his deal? Why does he keep saying that everything is fake?"
As if sensing Li Huowang's confusion, Wu Qi said, "Ignore him. He's very nihilistic. You can just ignore him."
Li Huowang ignored Zhao Lei and asked Qing Wanglai, "Then how about we move at night? They are becoming more and more daring. If we continue to drag things on, they might attack us when we least expect it."
Li Huowang was anxious. They had already tried ramming him with a lorry, and they might do something more drastic in the future.
"I don't have any objections. What about the others?" Qing Wanglai said.
After asking everyone, Qing Wanglai looked at his watch. "It will be dawn in a few more hours. We have to act now if we want to do anything."
After coming to a consensus, they went down the stairs.
Everyone entered Wu Qi's RV except for Zhao Lei, who rode his own motorcycle.
"Wu Qi, please stop in front of the university gates. I need to go to my hostel to grab something."
"You're rich, aren't you? I'm driving now, so shouldn't you show some appreciation towards me? Maybe by paying for the fuel if I pass by a gas station?"
"I never thought someone was still driving their RV around using stolen gas."
"Fine. I will pay for your refueling later."
"Hehe! Thank you very much!" Wu Qi stepped on the pedal and drove as fast as she could.
Wu Qi's RV was cumbersome, but she somehow managed to drive faster than Qing Wanglai's sports car, reaching the university gates in record time.
"Hehe... Everything is fake... The hostel's gates should've been closed at this hour... What else can you take? All of you are lying to me." Zhao Lei stopped beside the RV and looked at Qing Wanglai entering the university.
Li Huowang was nervous. He clenched his fists and pondered what might happen next.
I might run into them later. I need a weapon!
Li Huowang looked around and found a drawer underneath the induction cooker. He opened it and grabbed a cleaver. He felt much calmer afterward.
I don't believe that the police would dismiss me if I cut off their heads!
Twenty minutes later, Qing Wanglai returned to the RV. They drove for a short moment before they stopped.
"Wait, they are here!" Li Huowang tensed up and glared at the silent city. "I can feel them looking at me!"
"No need to go back to my neighborhood! We will settle this outside!" Li Huowang decided not to invite trouble back to his house.
It wasn't a good idea to involve his parents in this.
"How many?" Qing Wanglai asked.
"Three... No, four!"
Soon, Li Huowang walked down the RV with his head still covered in bandages. Yang Na carefully assisted him down.
Yang Na lowered her head, nervous. Only she knew that the person next to her was actually Wu Qi.
The real Li Huowang was driving the RV to circle around and catch the people.
"Is he your boyfriend?" Wu Qi whispered.
"Mmm..."
"You're suffering a lot right now just to be with him. With your background, you are technically marrying someone of a lower status."
As Wu Qi had just said this, they heard someone shouting to the alley on their left. Wu Qi told Yang Na to wait as she ran towards the alley.
Wu Qi rounded the corner and saw Li Huowang raising a cleaver up high as he chased after three people. "Stop! Don't move!"
Li Huowang was panicking! He had finally found them and had no intention of letting them escape.
A motorcycle revved up, and Zhao Lei blocked the three people with his motorbike.
The three people scattered, two to the right and one to the left.
Zhao Lei chased after the single person on the left while Li Huowang ducked into the alley on the right to chase after the two people.
Li Huowang refused to give up even though his left arm was in a splint. However, his injuries slowed him down as the two people ran further and further away.
Li Huowang thought they had failed, but then the two people in front of him froze.
Li Huowang panted and approached them carefully with his cleaver when he saw Qing Wanglai pointing a gun at the two people.
Li Huowang saw the faces of the two people and realized who they were.
One of them used to work in Kangning Hospital! They had been monitoring Li Huowang since the beginning!
Chapter 727 - Captive
Li Huowang held his cleaver tightly and glared at the tall man with glasses.
Even though Li Huowang had only seen him once, he still recognized the man. The man was in the same group as Li Huowang at Kangning Hospital. He recalled the man's name—Yuan Heping.
"It's you?! You were one of them?" Li Huowang's breathing quickened as he gripped his cleaver.
Yuan Heping swallowed his saliva nervously when he saw Li Huowang's cleaver and Qing Wanglai's gun. "Wait, don't be rash. Murder is a crime, and we didn't do anything!"
Qing Wanglai walked towards Li Huowang and pushed the cleaver down. "We've surrounded them. There's no need to use your cleaver for now."
Qian Fu and Chen Hongyu then appeared with a rope. They tied the two people's hands together.
Li Huowang finally put down his knife when the two were tied up. He only focused on the gun after they had been subdued.
"Where did you get a gun? Those are harder to come by than knives."
Li Huowang started to doubt Qing Wanglai and his background.
Qing Wanglai laughed and pointed the gun at Wu Qi's head before pulling the trigger. Everyone froze up due to his unexpected actions.
A small fire lit up from the muzzle of the gun.
Wu Qi took out a cigarette and lit it up.
"It's fake?"
"Of course this is a fake gun. This is a world with laws and regulations, so how could I get a real gun? I bought it online during a sale." Qing Wanglai released the trigger and placed the gun-shaped lighter into his pocket.
"AAAAH!" Someone screamed from the other alley. The familiar voice made Li Huowang's heart jump.
"Oh no! It's Yang Na!"
Li Huowang ran down the alley and quickly counted the gazes he had sensed just now. There were four, but we only found three! One of them must've been hiding to ambush us!
Li Huowang thought the situation was dire, but he was stunned when he reached Yang Na.
Yang Na was indeed screaming, but she was using a taser to shock an old man as she did.
The old man's mouth was already foaming, but Yang Na continued to press her taser into the old man.
"Nana, wait, that's enough. Let go of the trigger. If you keep going, he'll die from electrocution."
Yang Na only let go after Li Huowang reassured her repeatedly. She released the taser and hugged him as she cried. "Huowang, I'm scared."
Li Huowang calmed her down and looked at the taser on the ground. "Nana, where did you get it?"
Li Huowang was both shocked and surprised.
Yang Na sobbed and said, "I... I bought it online with my friends. We were worried about our safety when we walked at night, so I... I... also bought some other personal safety devices."
Li Huowang opened her bag and saw she had indeed prepared many other tools. There were pepper sprays, spare tasers, a recording device in the shape of a pen, and a phone with a big red button on the back.
Li Huowang took out the phone, and Yang Na explained as she sobbed, "My grandmother bought this phone before. If you press the red button, it will automatically call the police. You can press the button even from outside the bag."
"Have you been carrying all this stuff ever since I met Qing Wanglai?" Li Huowang was touched. He knew Yang Na might not believe him, but she was still willing to risk her life to accompany him.
Everyone else finally caught up to Li Huowang. They quickly exchanged words, but soon noticed that Yang Na's shout had drawn in some of the residents.
"Quick! We need to move now! We won't be able to explain ourselves if they capture a video of us and upload it online!" Zhao Lei grabbed the unconscious old man and placed him on the back of his motorcycle.
Li Huowang nodded as he sensed more and more people staring at them. He quickly pulled the startled Yang Na into the RV.
The RV snaked around the roads as they tried to shake off any pursuers. It wasn't until they reached the main road that they sighed in relief.
Qing Wanglai was driving the RV while Wu Qi was looking after the old man who had been electrocuted by Yang Na. She was worried that the old man would die.
"Don't worry, he's still doing fine. The electrocution won't kill him." Wu Qi looked at Wang Gang lying on the bed as she reported.
Li Huowang finally had the time to look at the three people they had captured. One of them was Yuan Heping, while the old man Yang Na had electrocuted was also familiar. Li Huowang had also met this man at Kangning Hospital—his name was Wang Gang.
It was clear that they had been the ones who placed the needles in his food.
Li Huowang pointed the cleaver at them. "Who wants to talk first?"
"There's no need for that. Let's find another place to interrogate them. My RV is already a third-hand car. I don't want you to destroy it."
The RV wasn't large to begin with, and it felt cramped after so many people entered it. Qian Fu had to sit on the induction stove while Chen Hongyu was forced to sit in the toilet.
"Let's go to my place. There's no one there." Zhao Lei's voice came from outside.
"Is it remote and safe?" Li Huowang asked.
No matter who the three people were, Li Huowang was technically kidnapping them. It would be hard to explain to other people if they saw what they were doing.
"Don't worry, he lives somewhere very remote." Chen Hongyu stretched out from the toilet as she opened the fridge.
The RV bounced along the road until they stopped near the city's outskirts. It was already starting to get bright outside when they entered an old home. Li Huowang finally understood what they meant by Zhao Lei staying somewhere remote. Zhao Lei was actually staying in an underground basement on the outskirts of the city.
Li Huowang pushed Yuan Heping underground before he caught the scent of mold. The basement was huge but covered in many objects. There were bottles and cans of various sizes, as well as organs preserved in formalin. Li Huowang saw a kneecap and a single eye in the jars. He wasn't sure if they were real.
A strange moldy smell came from the takeout boxes and trash near his feet.
There was a shelf on the wall lined up with various toy models. Some of them were incomplete, with only their heads.
Zhao Lei's fashion was weird, and his place was weird too.
"Is this place soundproof?" Li Huowang walked to the table and tapped the bottles on the table. There were wooden boat models inside the bottles. It seems that Zhao Lei sells these for money. It's so real. He even carved out the sailors inside the boat.
"Yes, it's soundproof."
"Good." Li Huowang approached Yuan Heping and pinned him to the wall before bringing the cleaver down on Yuan Heping's right hand.
"AH! MMGH!" Yuan Heping tried to scream, but Li Huowang covered his mouth.
"Stop! Your arm is still intact! You can scream later!"
Yuan Heping almost fainted from shock when he saw Li Huowang's cleaver planted on the ground right beside his hands.
Just as he managed to catch his breath, he saw Li Huowang swinging the cleaver sideways onto four of his fingers.
Chapter 728 - Model
Yuan Heping tried to pull his hand back, but Li Huowang stomped on his wrist. He couldn't move his hands at all!
"Wait! Stop, stop!"
The sharp knife cut open his skin. Li Huowang looked at Yuan Heping. "Talk. Who are you people? What's your objective?"
"I... I don't know!" Yuan Heping innocently said. "We escaped together from the hospital and wanted to find something nice to eat when there was no one around at night."
"Bullshit! Do you really think I would believe that? Why did you run from us then?"
"You... You chased after us with a cleaver like a madman. Who wouldn't run away?"
Qian Fu suddenly glared at Yuan Heping. "Stop lying! We already saw through your tricks! You are Leotians! You came to conquer Earth! We already know who you are!"
Yuan Heping was stunned. He looked at Qian Fu and then at Li Huowang before quickly nodding.
"Yes! That's right! We are the Leotians! We came here to conquer Earth!"
Li Huowang's face twitched. He pushed the cleaver down until Yuan Heping's fingertips were bleeding. "Are you going to talk or not?"
"What do you want me to say?!" Yuan Heping was already on the brink of tears.
"Why did you follow me? Why did you put needles in my food? Don't tell me you weren't the one who did it!"
"Fine! You are right! I placed the needles and followed you!"
"Why? What's your goal? Why are you following and monitoring me?!"
"Because... Because..." Yuan Heping tried to come up with a reason.
As Yuan Heping stayed silent and unsure of how to respond, Qing Wanglai helped him to his feet.
"Don't arbitrarily decide that he's the culprit. It's possible that he was being used."
Yuan Heping hid behind Qing Wanglai and trembled.
"Come, drink some water. Don't be nervous."
Li Huowang wanted to rebuke Qing Wanglai before he realized they were playing good cop, bad cop. His role was over.
Qing Wanglai might be able to coax out the truth.
To increase their chances of success, Li Huowang copied a drama he had seen before, raising his cleaver and licking the blood on it.
Li Huowang's act worked. Yuan Heping shivered and tried to distance himself from Qing Wanglai.
"I'm just putting up an act to scare him," Li Huowang whispered to Yang Na.
Yang Na worriedly looked at Qing Wanglai as he was talking to Yuan Heping. "Maybe he really doesn't know anything?"
"Impossible. It might've been a coincidence the first time, but it cannot be a coincidence the second time. The world is vast, and yet he still managed to find me? He's just stubborn! He must have some kind of connection with the organization. Let's see what kind of method Qing Wanglai has. I will have to use force if Qing Wanglai can't get any information from Yuan Heping."
Li Huowang then started looking for tools around Zhao Lei's messy house.
Maybe it was because Zhao Lei's job involved creating models, but there were several knives in the place. Li Huowang thought that despite the limited variety, these knives would suffice.
As Li Huowang was grinding some of the knives using the edge of the sink, Qing Wanglai finished his interrogation.
Qing Wanglai took out a large wad of cash and gave it to Yuan Heping, significantly reducing the latter's fear.
"He's just a pawn that follows orders blindly. He doesn't even know the people that were projected here."
Li Huowang was tired of the excuses. "Then did he give us a name? Who's the one giving out orders?"
Qing Wanglai didn't answer but instead looked at Wang Gang lying motionlessly on the ground.
Wang Gang was the main culprit here.
Li Huowang grabbed the knives and approached Wang Gang before he saw the latter smiling at him bitterly.
In contrast with Yuan Heping, Wang Gang had no intention of lying.
"I never thought I would lose to a little lady. I thought she would be easy to deal with, but I never imagined she would be super tough."
Li Huowang became excited when he heard this. Is he finally telling the truth?
The conversation visibly intrigued the others, who promptly circled them.
"I know what you want to ask, but can you let me go afterward?"
"Fine. Talk."
Wang Gang shook his head. "Not you. I'm talking to him." Wang Gang pointed at Qing Wanglai.
Qing Wanglai nodded. "I accept your request. If you tell us the truth, I will send you out of this country."
Wang Gang nodded and finally said, "You are right. We are here to monitor Li Huowang. This is our job."
"Who sent you?" Li Huowang's heart was thumping.
"My higher-ups. I never saw their faces before, and they always gave us the orders through paper memos."
"What's their goal? Why are they targeting me?"
"I don't know. They just said something along the lines of you being hard to deal with."
Li Huowang clenched his teeth when he heard that. "I knew it!"
Bam! Just then, the sound of cloth smacking onto the table could be heard. Li Huowang turned around and saw Zhao Lei frantically looking for something.
"What's going on with you?" Wu Qi was confused.
"My things! They are gone! It was here just now! Everything is visibly fake, so why did you take it?!"
Li Huowang ignored him and continued to interrogate Wang Gang.
"What else do you know?"
Wang Gang looked at Zhao Lei before he stammered, "I a-also know... One of you has been bought off by them."
"What? Who is it?!"
Li Huowang was looking at Wang Gang when he saw the reflection in Wang Gang's eyes.
Li Huowang swiftly turned around. Zhao Lei was swinging one of the large glass bottles towards his head!
"Why are you stealing my things?! They're mine!"
Before the glass bottle hit Li Huowang's head, the wooden boat model in the bottle swayed vigorously with the water. One of the wooden figurines in the glass bottle had a sword that pierced the glass bottle.
Crack. The glass bottle shattered as the water splashed onto Li Huowang's face.
Li Huowang let go of his cleaver and grabbed the wooden boat instead. "You dare attack me?!"
Li Huowang gripped the wooden boat model and smashed it into Zhao Lei's face. The entire wooden boat model cracked into pieces.
The wooden figurines with swords were also stabbed into Zhao Lei's eyes.
Chapter 729 - Zhao Lei
"AAAAAAH!" Zhao Lei shouted and held his injured eyes as he squatted down.
In the chaotic basement, Li Huowang glared at Zhao Lei mercilessly, holding a cleaver as he blocked the entrance.
Just as Li Huowang had asked Wang Gang who was the traitor, Zhao Lei attacked him from behind.
He didn't need the answer from Wang Gang anymore—he knew Zhao Lei was the traitor.
Zhao Lei also knew that they were supposed to meet up at Orange Isle last time.
That was how Li Huowang was almost hit by the truck when they were halfway to Orange Isle. Zhao Lei had informed them!
The other two people that promised to come didn't show up either. Maybe they had met some dangers along their way. Li Huowang hated traitors more than enemies.
"Zhao Lei, I never thought it would be you. What did they give you? Do you really think you can live happily after becoming their dog? Didn't they take your special powers too?" Chen Hongyu approached him with a pained expression on her face. She blocked Zhao Lei's escape path using her massive frame.
The others surrounded Zhao Lei too. Zhao Lei looked at them with dilated eyes. "You can't blame me! Why are you guys only blaming me?! All of you let me down first! I had to protect myself!"
"Let you down?" Li Huowang laughed. "I've just met you today. Tell me, how did I let you down?"
"Fake! Everything's fake!" Zhao Lei saw the blood in his palms and continued to press on his injured eyes.
"What's fake? Stop trying to push the responsibility away here! I can see through you and know whether you are actually crazy or not!" Li Huowang shouted and pointed his cleaver at Zhao Lei.
"You don't understand! We've met before! You took my stuff first! Don't blame me for it!"
"Let's talk it out! No need to fight against each other. We've known each other for so long." Wu Qi tried to stop them from quarreling.
"Stop trying to fool me!" Zhao Lei shouted. "If it wasn't because of the common threat coming from outside, you all would've never worked together! I still remember what each and every one of you did to me last time! Do you really think that we are a loving family? What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? If you don't want to admit it, I will say it out loud!
"Qian Fu, do you have the guts to say who caused you to become crazy?
"Wu Qi, why do you not return home but instead choose to stay outside and wander around?
"And you, Qing Wanglai, stop trying to be a good person! You always disparage others while praising your own virtue and intelligence! You think everyone else is stupid enough not to see through you?"
Zhao Lei's outburst made everyone shut up. Li Huowang looked at their expressions and had a vague realization.
Zhao Lei's words might've been real. Even though everyone looked amicable on the outside, they might've had a grudge against each other in the past.
"All of you ignored me every time I was in danger, and now you blame me for selling you out? Hmph! If any of you had been approached and enticed with rewards too, you would've done the same!"
Li Huowang had heard enough. He stepped up. "I don't know what you are talking about, but you should understand that their goal is us. Do you really think they'll let you live after surrendering to them?"
Zhao Lei's hands were trembling when he lowered them. He glared at Li Huowang with his blinded eyes. "I can only take a gamble. I can't trust them, but I can't trust you either. At the very least, they have a better chance at succeeding."
Li Huowang lowered his cleaver and picked up a roll of yellow tape from the table. He bound Zhao Lei's arms and feet tightly.
"I don't have time to listen to your ramblings. Let's just talk about who we are facing. Since they bought you off, that means that you also know who they are. Tell me their names and identities."
Zhao Lei chuckled and said, "Fake. Everything's fake. Do you really not know who they are?"
"Shut up and listen!" Li Huowang grabbed Zhao Lei's collar and pulled him up. "You better tell us what we want to know! I don't want to resort to force, but I will if I have to pry the information out of you!"
Zhao Lei chuckled. "You want to know who they are? There's no need to interrogate me. You will know soon enough."
As everyone was still trying to figure out what he meant, they heard someone knock on the door.
Zhao Lei chuckled again. "Do you really think I'm useless? I faked it! Why do you think I brought everyone to this remote basement?"
Bam! The door was kicked open as three metal orbs were thrown into the basement. The orbs were releasing white fumes.
As the fumes filled up the room, everyone in the room began coughing and struggling to see.
"Nana!" Li Huowang quickly moved towards Yang Na. He felt her soft body and pulled her down as they moved towards the corner of the basement.
Li Huowang coughed and said, "Quick, give me your taser! Squat down near the corner of the wall and don't raise your head!"
"Mmm!"
Li Huowang remained composed, holding the cleaver and taser. He freed one hand to pinch his nose.
When the smoke thinned out a little, Li Huowang gritted his teeth and charged towards the people descending into the basement.
Zap! Li Huowang tased one of the people entering the basement.
He saw the person falling down and twitching on the ground before he charged at the other people. He wasn't sure how many enemies there were. He focused on the one in front of him, bringing down one after another.
The fumes were dissipating. Li Huowang's taser ran out of battery as he placed it on the neck of the next intruder. By then, he had already knocked many of them unconscious.
Crack! The intruder aimed the crossbow at Li Huowang's thigh.
Li Huowang had no intention of dodging. He wanted to trade his injuries for the life of the intruder as he swung his cleaver towards the man's neck.
"Huowang! Be careful!" Yang Na shouted.
He turned around and saw another man aiming a crossbow at the back of his head just two meters away!
The man had almost pressed the trigger, but then, there was the sound of a gunshot.
The man cried as his wrists were hit by the bullet. The crossbow in his hands also broke apart.
Li Huowang tried to find the source of the gunshot. He saw Qing Wanglai pinching his nose as he shot at the intruders with his gun. Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!