Li Huowang was quite confident that the primordial breath of Strayed Ones was why they could cultivate the "Truth."
However, he hadn't known that the people of the Tianchen Kingdom could also touch the primordial breath inside of him!
Li Huowang saw the yellowish object in the palm that had pierced his chest and knew it was the primordial breath. This was also the first time he had seen it.
He had been wounded many times, but this was the first time his wounds were this grievous.
Li Huowang could not cultivate the "Truth" without his primordial breath. Without it, he would be no different from an ordinary person.
The arm threatened to completely sever Li Huowang's primordial breath.
At the last moment, several tentacles sprouted out from Li Huowang's back and held onto the arm to prevent it from being pulled out.
Li Huowang could not relinquish the precious chance that Li Sui had given him. He swiftly unsheathed his spine sword.
However, the enemy was behind him. Every time he turned around, the enemy would turn too.
In a panic, Li Huowang chose to grab onto his head and turned it forcefully towards the left. He twisted his head all the way around, making a sound of snapping bones.
Li Huowang finally saw the person who had attacked him.
There stood an elderly man, his back hunched and his eyes oddly disproportionate. A single horn emerged from his head, parting his white hair and exposing his murky gaze.
The old man had plunged his right arm deep into Li Huowang while his left arm was holding onto a rod made from a tree root and covered with gourds tightly.
"Die!" Li Huowang roared.
He dislocated his joints, swinging his sword backward with his dislocated arm.
The sword hadn't touched the old man, and yet the old man's body started to twist. This wasn't Zhuge Yuan's spine sword but instead Li Huowang's own spine sword.
Seeing that he couldn't pull out his arm and Li Huowang's attack had almost reached him, the old man swung his rod decisively. He detached his right arm and ran away like a lizard leaving its tail behind and then fleeing. He managed to survive Li Huowang's attack.
Gritting his teeth, Li Huowang forcibly repositioned his head and glanced around the theater, noticing that the old man was not the only unexpected arrival.
There was the veiled woman who played the strange musical instrument, Po Da'er, and several others sporting bizarre clothes. All eight of them had Li Huowang surrounded.
It was clear that as soon as the Tianchen Kingdom was notified of his arrival, they all hastily rushed there to deal with him.
Li Huowang warily looked at the arm lodged in his chest. He hadn't expected them to get there so quickly. More importantly, he hadn't expected that they would learn his weaknesses so quickly that they would choose to ambush him instead.
This time, Li Huowang was facing an enemy he had never faced before—an entire world. The moment his weaknesses were exposed to them, he would face unforeseen dangers.
That ambush would've killed him if Li Sui wasn't here. Li Huowang would've died if they had managed to snatch the primordial breath out of his body.
Po Da'er bowed to Li Huowang. "Daoist Li, we will meet again." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦
"What? Are you going to continue spouting nonsense?"
Li Huowang realized that the bandits had run away during the chaos. He wanted to escape after the ambush had failed, but he refused to leave without any results.
He didn't know how many Dragon Veins were present in the Tianchen Kingdom, and he had barely gotten any helpful information. If he were to return to the Qi Kingdom now, going back to the Tianchen Kingdom would be much more difficult next time.
Po Da'er didn't want to attack. Instead, he continued to question Li Huowang.
"Daoist Li, I've heard that you are very kind. Why do you help the evil sect, then? The White Lotus Sect is evil."
Li Huowang almost laughed out of anger, "The White Lotus Sect is evil now? Why didn't you call the Heavenly Mater evil when you betrayed her back then?"
Po Da'er was shocked. "Daoist Li, do you trust their nonsense? They tricked you! I don't know who's saying that, but they're lying! That did not happen at all. The evil Mater treated us like livestock, and the Tianchen Kingdom was like a living Hell."
He stared towards the south and clenched his fists. "We were forced to fight back. Daoist Li, do you intend to help the evil Mater and turn the Tianchen Kingdom back into a living Hell?"
Li Huowang looked around warily. "Hoh... Everyone has their side of the story. Why are you the good guys in your story? Didn't you want me to help you? Fine, I will help you, but don't touch the White Lotus Sect! I will guarantee that they will not enter the Tianchen Kingdom! I am a man of my word!"
Po Da'er remained silent. It was clear that he didn't trust Li Huowang's words.
Li Huowang said, "Don't try to trick me with words. It's useless! You've sent many spies into the Qi Kingdom to collect information, yet you still haven't found out why I am helping the White Lotus Sect? Li Sui, do it now!"
Li Huowang scattered like sand. However, Po Da'er and the rest saw through Li Huowang's tricks. The old man raised his rod of gourds and lightly swung it in front of him.
The theater was blown apart like curtains in the wind. Despite being mere fragments that were on fire, Li Huowang moved towards the old man.
The elderly man lifted his rod and struck Li Huowang, causing the plugs on the gourds to open. He intended to suck Li Huowang into the gourds.
Yet, Li Huowang phased through the gourds. The fragments were just an illusion.
By the time the old man realized what was happening, it was too late. The real Li Huowang was already standing behind him.
Li Huowang stabbed his spine sword deep into the old man's hump. The old man's hump burst open like a large pimple, and disgusting pus splashed towards Li Huowang. The pus evaporated when it came into contact with Li Huowang's fire, turning into white steam.
Li Huowang felt that there was something else inside the old man's hump, as there was a peculiar sensation when he pierced it.
He pulled the spine sword down and split the hump into two, revealing a stone statue of a deity hidden within the hump.
Chapter 891 - Tongue
Li Huowang was surprised to find a deity statue in the hump. Shai Zi had claimed that the people of the Tianchen Kingdom had no beliefs, so this was unexpected.
He wanted to discern which deity it represented, but the statue's face was smeared with thick pus, making it impossible to identify.
As he was about to strike down the one-eyed old man and split both him and the hump in half, the others arrived.
Out of nowhere, a whooshing sound filled the air, and a neatly peeled piece of skin materialized right above Li Huowang. It was positioned to cover his head, and its facial features still moved.
He had no idea what purpose the strange piece of skin served, but he was sure it was bad news.
He dodged quickly. However, a hand reached toward his chest, clearly trying to repeat the trick of taking his primordial breath.
This time, Li Sui was prepared. She reached out with seven or eight tentacles, tightly wrapping them around the enemy.
Unexpectedly, another hand appeared. It began to pluck things from Li Sui's tentacles.
While Li Huowang didn't know what the enemy took, he felt a surge of anger.
"Damn it!" Li Huowang ripped off his own face and slammed it onto the opponent.
A wave of rotten black rice surged like a tsunami, covering Li Huowang and his opponent. Even in this mess, Li Huowang forcefully tore off his skin.
The fight became increasingly difficult as the enemy exploited his weaknesses. They kept trying to find opportunities to sneak an attack in or steal his spine sword.
Li Huowang had no effective counter. The enemy could easily strip away his powers, whether from his "Truth" cultivation or the pain techniques of the Ao Jing Sect.
The people the Tianchen Kingdom had sent were extremely powerful, nearly as formidable as the army of Unspeakable.
Li Huowang was worried for both himself and the Great Liang. If these enemies found a way to infiltrate the Great Qi, the entire Great Liang would be in grave danger.
Shai Zi had deceived him about other things, but not about this. The Tianchen Kingdom was indeed difficult to deal with.
Li Huowang knew he couldn't delay this situation. The longer he stalled, the worse things would get.
This was the enemy's territory. If he didn't act now, more enemies from the Tianchen Kingdom would come, making it impossible for him to escape.
Li Huowang gripped his spine sword and prepared to cut open an escape path. He suddenly stumbled as he glanced at Po Daer, who was not moving at all.
A large hand had emerged from the ground and grabbed his leg, rendering it numb.
Li Huowang's neck began to itch as he fended off the surrounding attackers. When he turned his head, he saw Po Daer's huge face grinning at him.
"Daoist Li, it's not too late to surrender," Po Daer said, raising Li Huowang's hand in a mocking gesture. Li Huowang had lost control of his body, and Po Daer could now drain his primordial breath at will.
"Why not surrender? There's no shame in it. In fact, I don't just control your body now. Everything about you is mine, whether it's your tricks from the Sitting Oblivion Dao or your Strayed One's 'Truth' cultivation."
However, Li Huowang laughed. His mission in the Tianchen Kingdom had been completed.
"All of my body is yours? What about the pain and suffering I've endured all this time?"
Po Daer noticed Li Huowang's composure and instinctively knew something was out of place. As he tried to take complete control, Li Sui's four ribs suddenly snapped and plunged into Li Huowang's chest.
Po Daer screamed in agony from the intense pain. Under normal circumstances, he might have been able to endure it, but Li Huowang's torment was currently amplified by the Cang-Qiang Ascension.
"Fire!" Li Huowang roared, and flames engulfed his entire body.
Po Daer shared Li Huowang's excruciating pain. Li Huowang had long grown used to it, but Po Daer couldn't withstand it.
He could no longer care about the Heavenly Daos and primordial breath within Li Huowang. Po Daer tried to flee desperately, yet it was too late. Black tendrils came out from his facial orifices and wrapped tightly around his head, trapping him inside Li Huowang and making him feel like he was in a living hell.
This time, Po Daer couldn't escape. While he had previously leaped from the Great Qi to the Tianchen Kingdom and survived, there was nowhere left to run now.
Li Huowang grasped his opponent's tongue and knew his mission in Tianchen was truly complete. As if on cue, Li Sui cast an illusion that caused the sky to press down.
With this opportunity, Li Huowang created a rift with his spine sword and quickly jumped through it.
When he landed, everything around him was peaceful once more. The air was filled with the chirping of birds and the smell of flowers. He had returned to the Great Liang.
He held the charred and struggling head of Po Daer while making his way toward Shangjing.
This interrogation was best left to the professionals, like the Fangxian Sect. They could extract a lot of valuable information from him.
Li Huowang felt pessimistic. I hope they can find a way to counter these enemies. We're doomed if the Tianchen Kingdom ever wages war against the Great Qi and the Great Liang.
"Father, don't lose hope. This isn't just a crisis—it's also an opportunity."
"An opportunity? What opportunity? I don't see it," Li Huowang replied.
"If they can extract your primordial breath, they can naturally put something in."
"What good is that? You could do that before."
"It's not just the primordial breath. I saw something else inside them. They can manipulate the inner sight that controls the primordial energy within you."
Li Huowang's mind raced. "So that means—"
"That means we can also add things and control what's in their consciousness.
"The more inner sight in your body, the greater control you'll have over the primordial breath. If you have enough 'Truth' cultivation, we can extract the inner sight and primordial energy from their bodies and transfer it into yours.
"We can do to Strayed Ones what they do to Twisted Ones.
"If we pull this off, your 'Truth' cultivation will improve greatly. Everything you think, dream, or imagine will become reality."
Chapter 892 - Phone
Thump! A tightly clenched fist wrapped in bandages delivered a powerful strike to Li Huowang's left rib, resulting in the sharp sound of bones cracking.
It wasn't over. The bandages on the fist were quickly bitten open. Before they had fallen to the ground, they were pulled and wrapped firmly around Li Huowang's neck.
Blood rushed to his head, and his face turned bright red, with veins bulging on his forehead. The lack of oxygen made his consciousness begin to blur.
He was about to be strangled to death, so he threw his head back and slammed it into his opponent's face.
The bandages around his neck loosened slightly. Li Huowang gritted his teeth, planted both feet on the ground, and forcefully pushed.
Li Huowang shot upward and slammed hard on the enemy behind him.
When he landed and felt the enemy pinned beneath him, he rolled backward and stood up. He lifted his right foot and aimed a powerful kick at his opponent's head.
The enemy quickly curled up and used their back as a shield to block Li Huowang's kick.
She used the momentum and swept her leg forcefully at Li Huowang's other leg, causing him to lose balance.
"Dinner's ready." A calm voice interrupted the deadly fight, prompting them to stop.
Li Huowang took three steps back and glared murderously at Ba Nanxu as she stood up.
He rubbed his sore neck, finding it more challenging to swallow. The force used against him had clearly had killing intent.
Ba Nanxu felt the spot where Li Huowang had kicked her and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. Her lipstick-painted lips parted, revealing blood-stained gums.
Her forked tongue flicked quickly from the bloody water and then retracted. "Damn it, I'm starting to like you more and more."
He clenched his teeth, pointed his middle finger at her, and then turned towards a takeout bag.
He opened the meal box, which contained Yangzhou fried rice, radish, and pork rib soup in a clay pot. Ignoring Ba Shengqing, who had brought the food, he grabbed a pair of disposable chopsticks and started eating heartily.
He glanced around as he ate. They were in an abandoned factory filled with rusty pipes and puddles of stagnant water.
He had been staying here for some time now. Zhao Shuangdian had said they would counterattack, but she had yet to appear since that day.
If not for the brother-sister duo interacting with him, Li Huowang might have thought they'd forgotten about him.
The sparring matches were Li Huowang's idea. He wanted to become stronger, and the Ba siblings truly had some skills. His progress in combat had been swift during this period.
"Hey maniac, you're on TV! That one-eyed look of yours is pretty photogenic," Ba Nanxu said, waving her phone at Li Huowang as she ate.
Li Huowang didn't even glance up and continued to wolf down his meal. "Any news from Zhao Shuangdian yet? I'm tired of just sparring with you every day. Weren't we supposed to act next month? There are only a few days left."
Ba Nanxu lit a cigarette with a click of her lighter. "Why the rush? She's sorting out fake passports. It won't be long."
"Passports? What for?"
"What do you think? To leave the country, obviously."
Li Huowang paused in surprise. He hadn't expected Zhao Shuangdian's plan to involve that.
"Will getting a passport allow us to reach another elephant?" Li Huowang said. He felt like things couldn't be that simple.
He pressed further and said, "Where are we going?"
"Don't ask. Once we get there, you just need to take care of them. You don't really care, do you?"
Li Huowang slammed his chopsticks down, looking impatiently at the siblings. "Why shouldn't I care? Don't forget they tried to kill me before!"
"Call Zhao Shuangdian. I want to ask her what's going on." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
Ba Nanxu rolled her eyes and tossed her phone at him. "Call her yourself."
Li Huowang grabbed the phone and quickly found Zhao Shuangdian's name in the contacts. After a few short rings, her composed voice came through,
—Hello, Li Huowang. What's up?
"When are we leaving? Give me a clear answer. Stop stringing me along."
—We're leaving tonight. Don't sleep.
"Fine. If we're going to make a move now, you need to tell me more about this other elephant. We need to know our enemy to win."
—There's nothing more to say. I've already explained. They're the same people who tried to kill you.
—I can't explain what they appear like to me. Even if I could, you wouldn't understand. You're touching the trunk while I'm touching the tusks.
—I'll take you to the location. Just see for yourself what they look like to you.
Her words reminded Li Huowang of the people who had once monitored him.
After a brief pause, Li Huowang said, "I need weapons."
—Of course. I'll arrange that. However, I need you to promise me one thing: once we're there, follow my orders. No questions asked.
"Sure, sure, got it!" Li Huowang impatiently pulled the phone away from his ear, ready to hang up.
—Wait, this is important. I need you to confirm. If you display any doubts or disobedience once we're there, I'll consider it a betrayal of your own elephant.
"Any doubts or disobedience?" Li Huowang pondered her words. Something felt off. "What exactly is going on there?"
—I'll explain when we arrive. It's too complicated to explain now.
Zhao Shuangdian abruptly ended the call, leaving a lingering beep in Li Huowang's ear.
He tossed the phone back to Ba Nanxu, frowning as he mulled over Zhao Shuangdian's words. There hadn't been such strict rules before.
Over there, could I really betray my own elephant? And if I did, what would the consequences be?
It was hard to imagine how bizarre the world of god Yu'er might be.
As Li Huowang was thinking, two fingers painted in black nail polish snapped in front of him.
"Hey maniac, are you done eating? Ready for round two?" Ba Nanxu clicked her brass knuckles together, creating sparks.
Li Huowang looked at her and said, "Can I ask you something?"
Ba Nanxu shook her head immediately. "Don't give me any of your crazy talk. I'm not arguing with a lunatic. You in or not? If not, I'm heading back to my shop."
"I'm in!" Li Huowang gritted his teeth, clenched his fists, and stood up again.
Chapter 893 - Journey
That night, Li Huowang lay fully clothed on his bed, waiting for them to arrive.
As soon as he saw the clock on the wall striking midnight, a harsh scraping noise reverberated through the air, signaling the opening of the steel factory's door.
He grabbed his belongings and walked out of the steel factory, where two off-road vehicles awaited him. The high beams blinded him, making it difficult to open his eyes.
Zhao Shuangdian's voice came from behind the glaring white lights. "Get in."
When Li Huowang reached the car door, he noticed that besides Zhao Shuangdian and the Ba siblings, there were two unfamiliar men and a woman inside.
Li Huowang quickly glanced at them before opening the rear door and sitting down. However, as soon as he sat, he felt something beneath him.
He reached down and found two sheathed military knives.
Once Li Huowang unsheathed them, he realized they were his knives. They were still stained with dried blood.
"Thanks," Li Huowang said to Zhao Shuangdian, who was sitting in the front passenger seat.
The engine roared to life, and the off-road vehicle headed towards the airport.
"No need to thank me. Remember that we're on the same side. I wouldn't harm you."
Li Huowang slid the knives back into their sheaths and strapped them to his back. "A bulletproof vest would've been nice."
Zhao Shuangdian didn't respond. She massaged her forehead gently, her brows furrowed as if deep in thought.
Li Huowang turned his attention to the other three in the car. The first man was driving and had a rugged look accentuated by a scruffy beard. Despite the chilly weather, he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt.
On the other hand, the man in the passenger seat had a stern expression and a slender, lanky build. He was skillfully flipping a coin with his fingers.
The last person was a girl who appeared weak and wore glasses. She looked frail, but there was something odd about her. Her face twitched intermittently.
Li Huowang eyed them cautiously, trying to figure out what Simings they were. The bearded guy seemed like a military Siming or some commander.
The stern-faced man turned his gaze from the window to Li Huowang. "You know it's rude to stare, right?" 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺
"Li Huowang," he said, extending his hand toward the man. However, the man didn't shake his hand.
"I know who you are, Li Huowang. You're pretty famous. Everyone knows who you are," the man said slowly before turning to face the window again.
Li Huowang sensed their cold attitude and didn't bother responding. He turned to Zhao Shuangdian. "Is it just us? It seems like there are too few people. Aren't we just walking into certain death?"
"Don't worry, more people will meet us at the airport," Zhao Shuangdian replied, closing her eyes.
"How confident are you in this operation?"
"Sixty percent."
"Only sixty?" Li Huowang was reminded of Qian Fu's death and what happened to the other forty percent.
"Never expect anything to be a hundred percent. If something's guaranteed, it's probably a trap."
Li Huowang's heart sank. He could only hope that the reinforcements at the airport would be more helpful.
The stern man tossed a mask to Li Huowang. "Put on the mask. You can't just walk into the airport with your face. It's simply inviting trouble."
After five hours, they finally reached another city's airport, just as dawn was beginning to break.
Li Huowang, now wearing the mask, reached the waiting area. He was stunned by the person he saw—Qing Wanglai.
Qing Wanglai, dressed in a suit, shook hands with Zhao Shuangdian. "It must have been a tiring journey."
Zhao Lei, Chen Hongyu, and Wu Qi were behind him, all slumped in chairs.
"Them?! They're the reinforcements?" Li Huowang was utterly shocked to see his former comrades.
"Who else? Not many people truly understand the situation they're in."
The two groups gathered together, leaving Li Huowang standing bewildered by himself.
By dawn, the first rays of sunlight pierced through, and the plane carrying Li Huowang and the others soared into the clouds.
Li Huowang sat in his seat, finally accepting the idea of reuniting with Qing Wanglai.
Although Qing Wanglai was a petty person who burned his bridges easily, Li Huowang didn't blame him for the things that happened to Nana that day. And even though he wasn't trustworthy, it was still better than dealing with complete strangers.
Qing Wanglai sat next to Li Huowang and extended his hand. "I didn't expect you to end up on Zhao Shuangdian's side."
"I had no choice. The last group I followed was too unreliable, so I had to switch."
Qing Wanglai didn't seem to catch the sarcasm in Li Huowang's words. He smiled pleasantly. "Really? That's good. I thought you bought into her theories."
Li Huowang glanced at Zhao Shuangdian, who was dozing off with an eye mask. "I don't believe in her elephant theory. Your projection theory feels more realistic."
"Oh?"
Li Huowang gritted his teeth and glared at Qing Wanglai. "Of course not! I don't care about your ridiculous theories! I don't want what happened previously to happen again! I simply want to solve this mess and not be labeled a lunatic anymore!"
After a moment of contemplation, Qing Wanglai replied, "You may not believe it, but I never gave up on you. If we survive this, I'll help you regain your freedom."
"Yeah, right," Li Huowang scoffed and turned away. "I'm wanted across the country. Tell me, how will you help me regain my freedom?"
"When you return to the country, turn yourself in immediately," Qing Wanglai replied.
Li Huowang looked at him like he was an idiot.
"Don't worry. It's just the first step. You're considered mentally ill. No matter how many times you've escaped from prison, your final punishment will be confinement in a psychiatric hospital."
"After you cool off in there for a while, I can buy out a psychiatric hospital and get you transferred there. After that, it'll be easy to do whatever we want."
"Oh wow, what a grand gesture by Boss Qing, buying an entire psychiatric hospital just for me. I'm so touched."
Qing Wanglai could tell that Li Huowang still didn't trust him and dropped the subject. He stood up and whispered something into Zhao Shuangdian's ear as she slept.
Li Huowang had not slept the entire night, so he planned to close his eyes and recharge his batteries for what was to come.
As he was about to drift off, something caught his eye. There was a small white object below the seat in front of him.
He frowned, reached down, and picked it up. He held it up between his fingers, and his pupils narrowed. A die?
He glanced around and saw everyone acting normally. Holding the die close, he muttered, "Why are you here? Do you really think you belong in a battle between Simings?"
Chapter 894 - Plane
Li Huowang glanced at the scenery outside the window. From the plane, the houses looked as small as matchboxes.
He slowly brought his left hand up to his mouth, revealing a black-and-white die—the same one he had just picked up.
However, Li Huowang knew it wasn't just a coincidence. It was Shai Zi.
He admired the view as he whispered to the tiny die in his hand. "You secretly followed me. What exactly do you want?
"Don't answer. Even if you say something now, I can't hear it. No matter how powerful you used to be, you're just a tiny, immobile trinket in my hand right now.
"Shai Zi, I don't know if you helped last time or not, but I'm a Siming now. There's no going back for me, yet I can still influence things over there.
"We've had enough interactions by now. We're practically acquaintances. Why not stick to what you're good at?"
Li Huowang lowered his gaze, staring at the die in his palm. "You can't help me here, but over there, you can. Don't tell me that you can't even manage this as the leader of the Sitting Oblivion Dao."
"If you do it right, I'll give you some benefits. However, don't blame me for destroying you if you fail or try anything sneaky. Right now, you're nothing to me! I could crush you easily."
To demonstrate his point, Li Huowang opened his mouth and tossed the die inside.
His expression contorted as he gently pressed his teeth, causing the die to deform. It appeared that the die would break under any additional pressure.
He spat it back out and glared at the saliva-covered die with teeth marks. "Got it?"
At that moment, an air stewardess walked down the aisle. Li Huowang quickly clenched his fist, nodding and flashing her a polite smile.
Once she was gone, Li Huowang opened his palm again and whispered, "I don't plan for you to do anything too difficult. Just ensure you take care of the people I care about over there."
He paused for a moment before he added, "And Li Sui. Don't play dumb. You know who and what I care about."
Li Huowang sensed someone watching him. He quickly turned and noticed that Zhao Lei was staring at him. His mouth was slightly open, and he held his phone in shock.
Li Huowang whispered one last time to the die, "I know you've made plenty of enemies. Neither side likes you, so it's settled. If you can handle this, I'll protect you. From now on, you'll be my Twisted One."
He stuffed the die into his pocket and glared at Zhao Lei. "What are you looking at?"
Zhao Lei's lips quivered slightly, but he said nothing and turned back to his phone.
Outside, the landscape was drawing closer, which meant they were nearing their destination.
"Alright, that's enough. You'll take this plane back to our elephant when we land. This mess isn't something you can handle." Li Huowang flicked the die, letting it roll beneath the seat in front of him.
Li Huowang had no idea where they were after getting off the plane, as he couldn't understand the local language. Still, the place was undeniably hot, like a tropical region.
Zhao Shuangdian had changed into a short-sleeved shirt and proceeded to walk ahead. She quickly dialed a number to contact someone.
Qing Wanglai approached Li Huowang. "We were supposed to have another ally, but unfortunately, she couldn't make it. If she had, our chances would've been better."
"Who? Why didn't she come?"
"You didn't let her. You sent her back to her hometown and had her parents closely monitor her, ensuring she couldn't leave."
"Yang Na?!" Li Huowang's expression darkened. He jabbed a finger into Qing Wanglai's chest. "Don't drag her into this. I'll kill you if you involve her in any way."
"Li Huowang, let's be reasonable. Why do you always make decisions for others? Shouldn't this be her choice to make?
Li Huowang clenched his teeth, and his expression twisted with rage. "She's ill! Her thoughts aren't even her own right now! I'll say it one last time: keep her out of this."
"Fine, I get it. No need to repeat yourself. You made it very clear when you took her away."
Despite Qing Wanglai's attitude, Li Huowang didn't want to stir up trouble at the moment. He yanked the rubber mask off his head and revealed his actual face.
The sound of car horns filled the air as a number of SUVs driven by foreigners appeared ahead of them.
"Let's go." Zhao Shuangdian nodded toward the vehicles and walked toward them.
After leaving the airport, Li Huowang realized the place was even more desolate than he had imagined. Airports were typically situated in big cities, but this one only had a small town nearby, visible in its entirety with just a single glance.
A few minutes later, the SUVs left the town and drove off the asphalt road into a desert.
Li Huowang instinctively reached behind him and gripped the familiar handles of his knives.
"Are they supposed to be here? How can anyone even live in a place like this?" Li Huowang asked Zhao Shuangdian, who was sitting in the front passenger seat.
"Who says they're even human?" Zhao Shuangdian said, crossing her arms. She opened a hidden compartment, took out a pair of dark red sunglasses, and put them on.
Time passed, and the sky grew darker. The SUV's headlights lit the way until they reached a low-lying area in the desert and came to a halt.
"Get out and grab your gear," Zhao Shuangdian said. Everyone immediately disembarked and opened the trunk.
The group remained serious and focused despite traveling all day with little rest.
Li Huowang saw Zhao Shuangdian assembling a black sniper rifle. He frowned and drew his two knives. "Hold on, you get that while I'm stuck with these?"
"Want to trade? Can you even use this?" Zhao Shuangdian offered him the rifle, but Li Huowang didn't take it.
He had never used one before, and an unfamiliar weapon wouldn't be more effective.
"Li Huowang, over here, "a voice called out. Li Huowang turned towards the voice and spotted Wu Qi and Chen Hongyu, who were unloading a bulky suit and helmet from the trunk of their SUV.
Li Huowang recognized it immediately. It was his old bulletproof suit.
Chapter 895 - Strike
"Thanks."
Li Huowang quickly put on the bulletproof vest with their help. It gave him peace of mind since they would soon confront an unknown enemy.
"Don't thank us. Qing Wanglai was the one who prepared it for you. You obviously wouldn't bring one."
Li Huowang looked at Qing Wanglai, who was loading a magazine into his handgun. Qing Wanglai smiled and nodded back at him.
Wu Qi seemed like the most ordinary person in Qing Wanglai's group, so Li Huowang turned to her. "Sister Wu, do you really trust Qing Wanglai? You've seen what kind of person he is. You must be aware by now."
"Of course I know," Wu Qi said, placing a helmet on Li Huowang's head.
"But don't you think dealing with someone like him is pretty simple? As long as you understand what makes him tick." Wu Qi knocked on Li Huowang's helmet. "Li Huowang, don't assume that Zhao Shuangdian is any better. No one here is normal."
Li Huowang remained silent, turning his attention to Wu Qi and Zhao Shuangdian's weapons instead.
Wu Qi appeared unarmed, carrying only a medical kit. She seemed prepared to serve as a field medic this time.
As for Chen Hongyu, she pulled a nail-covered spiked mace from the trunk,
"We're about to go into combat, and that's what you're bringing?" Li Huowang asked.
Chen Hongyu shrugged indifferently. "No worries, I don't rely on this. I have special abilities."
Li Huowang sighed deeply and walked away from her.
He approached Zhao Shuangdian, who was adjusting the sights on her sniper rifle. "What's the plan?"
"Follow her," Zhao Shuangdian replied, pointing with her painted red nails at the frail, twitchy girl nearby.
The girl was unarmed, unlike the others. She pulled out a tablet and started to tap quickly.
Once everyone was ready and gathered, Zhao Shuangdian repeated the plan. "Remember, from now on, follow my instructions—no doubts or disobedience.
"No matter what the world looks like to you, the first thing to remember is that we're all on the same team. Never betray your comrades.
"And don't hesitate. Eliminate any signs of hostility."
"One last thing. We're currently outside the elephant while they are inside."
Zhao Shuangdian nodded to the girl, prompting her to put on a pair of VR glasses connected to the tablet.
She started to scan the dark desert as the group moved forward.
It was nighttime, but not pitch black. Their surroundings were in a strange state—barely visible, yet shrouded in obscurity.
Li Huowang walked at the front, dragging his heavy gear. He gripped his knives, ready to charge at the enemy at any moment.
"Is this going to work? Can we really get to another elephant this way?"
Despite his doubts about Zhao Shuangdian's plan, Li Huowang was determined to give it his all and wait for tangible results.
Until he saw actual proof, everything they said was merely a theory to him, not reality.
To his surprise, the search took much longer than expected. They still hadn't found anything after about an hour of walking across the desert.
Suddenly, Li Huowang spotted something. He grabbed Zhao Lei's flashlight and shone it on the ground. "Wait!"
Everyone gathered around.
"Look! There are footprints here, and they're ours! We've been walking in circles!"
Zhao Shuangdian pulled her sunglasses down slightly and stared at Li Huowang's face hidden inside his helmet. Her words came slowly and deliberately. "Follow orders."
Li Huowang didn't say anything else. He tossed the flashlight aside and continued walking.
He couldn't understand how circling around outside the elephant would get them inside.
Another hour passed, and Li Huowang began to feel exhausted. Although they were walking slowly, his gear was incredibly heavy.
A gunshot rang out, and Li Huowang's exhaustion dissipated instantly. He turned to see Zhao Shuangdian lower her sniper rifle, which she had previously rested on Ba Shengqing's shoulder.
Li Huowang tightened his grip on his weapons and charged in the direction where the rifle was pointing.
He was shocked to see a vast pool of blood on the ground. Judging by the amount, it appeared as though someone had lost almost all of their blood. However, against all odds, they had somehow managed to escape. It was unbelievable.
Zhao Shuangdian dipped a finger into the blood, then put it in her mouth and tasted it. "They know we're here.
"Be alert. Our enemies are not just on one side. We still don't know from which side they'll attack."
Zhao Shuangdian turned to the girl with the glasses. "Ling, how's it going? Are we close?"
"The elephant is formless–-"
Before she could finish her sentence, a bullet shredded her tongue and exited through her mouth.
Her head exploded, and half of her terrified face landed at Li Huowang's feet.
"Get down! They've got an anti-materiel rifle!"
As the girl's headless body collapsed, everyone immediately hit the ground, except for Chen Hongyu, who was standing there and channeling her energy.
As the girl's headless body fell, everyone except Chen Hongyu immediately dropped to the ground. She was standing in place and channeling her energy.
"Mm... mm...!!" Chen Hongyu, who was concentrating her energy on her dantian, was tackled by Li Huowang.
"Do you want to die?!"
"Let me go! Let me use my power!"
Li Huowang held Chen Hongyu down while cursing Qing Wanglai in his mind for bringing a useless lunatic with them. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺
"Let her go. She can handle it," Qing Wanglai said calmly. Zhao Shuangdian echoed the command, and Li Huowang finally rolled off Chen Hongyu after a moment of hesitation.
He lay on the ground and watched as she stood up again, curious about how she intended to solve this crisis.
Clack, clack, clack. Multiple flashlights flickered and illuminated Chen Hongyu, making her an easy target in the dark desert.
Gunshots rang as Chen Hongyu levitated while channeling her powers, and she fell to the ground.
"Enemy at eleven o'clock!" Zhao Shuangdian's voice rang out. Everyone with a gun immediately opened fire in that direction.
Once the shooting stopped, they tossed over a red flare, which revealed two corpses in the distance.
Li Huowang looked at Chen Hongyu's lifeless body on the ground. He clenched his teeth in rage as he glared at Zhao Shuangdian and Qing Wanglai. "So this was your plan? To use her as bait?"
"No, she had special abilities. I simply chose to believe in her," Qing Wanglai replied with a smile.
Chapter 896 - On The Way
Li Huowang stood frozen in place, his gaze fixed on Qing Wanglai. He trembled, trying his best to suppress his anger.
Qing Wanglai looked so sincere that if Li Huowang hadn't known his true nature, he might have believed him.
Although he had long known that Qing Wanglai was a wolf in sheep's clothing, every time he revealed his true colors, Li Huowang still found himself surprised. Qing Wanglai could use his companions as bait to deal with the enemy without batting an eyelid.
"You... you!" Li Huowang shook his head, trying to say something. In the end, no words came out.
He turned away and approached Chen Hongyu's corpse, her face a mangled mess. He reached out with his trembling hands to lift her body.
"Sister Chen, how could you just die like this? You were the Siming in charge of decay!"
"You can't die! If you die, decay will vanish too..."
Li Huowang couldn't help but think of the Abbess when he saw Chen Hongyu. She was now gone, just like Qian Fu. The sight of someone he had previously chatted with dying like that filled him with pain.
"Enough. Get ready, we're moving on."
Li Huowang felt someone pat him on the shoulder and flung the hand away forcefully. He turned to glare at the person who had tapped him—Zhao Shuangdian.
Zhao Shuangdian didn't offer an explanation. She simply looked at Li Huowang. "What did I tell you before we started? Follow orders, no matter what happens. We don't have time for grief."
Li Huowang stared into her eyes and slowly laid Chen Hongyu's body down. "All of you are the same! You're just like the others! You're responsible for Chen Hongyu's death too!"
Click! Zhao Shuangdian pressed the barrel of her black sniper rifle against Li Huowang's chest. "Don't forget what I said earlier. Li Huowang, let me ask you one more time: are you refusing to follow my orders?
"If you refuse to comply, whether you realize it or not, you're already one of them."
As she spoke, her team coldly looked at Li Huowang and surrounded him. This included the two men they had recently met as well as the Ba siblings.
Li Huowang gritted his teeth and gripped his knives' handles tightly.
As the tension peaked, Qing Wanglai stepped in and positioned himself between Li Huowang and Zhao Shuangdian.
He smiled, patting Li Huowang on the shoulder as he guided him out of the encirclement.
"Li Huowang, this won't work. It's alright if you offend me, but if you offend Zhao Shuangdian, you won't have any friends left."
Qing Wanglai's voice was filled with sincerity. "I remember you once said we're friends, right? So, as a friend, could you do me a favor?"
"Who the hell is friends with you?"
Qing Wanglai remained calm in the face of Li Huowang's temper. He smiled and said, "Just don't oppose Zhao Shuangdian for now. Let's work together to get through this crisis. Once we're back, we can think about dealing with her."
Li Huowang coldly mulled over Qing Wanglai's words for a moment. Then, he shoved him aside and wordlessly returned to the group.
The others saw the change in his attitude, and they dispersed back to their previous positions as if nothing had changed. Only Chen Hongyu remained lying lifelessly on the ground.
"Sister Zhao, I checked the two dead bodies over there. They're poachers," said a bearded man carrying a heavy-looking gun as he returned from the distance.
"Poachers? Using anti-tank weapons to poach?"
Li Huowang's question went unanswered. Zhao Shuangdian knelt on one knee and quickly typed on the laptop resting on the ground. "We're close, just a bit further."
Li Huowang silently walked up behind her and peered at the screen, where a blue 3D wireframe map rapidly shifted with each keystroke.
Zhao Shuangdian closed the tablet and stood up. "We need to move quickly before their reinforcements catch up."
"Which way do we go?" Qing Wanglai asked.
Zhao Shuangdian didn't respond. Instead, she looked at Li Huowang.
"Why are you looking at me? How the hell would I know which way to go?"
"You do know. I have told you that you're special. Lead the way."
Her words drew the attention of everyone present.
Li Huowang found the situation absurd. "I don't even know where we are! How am I supposed to lead you anywhere?"
"You don't need to know. Just trust your instincts."
Zhao Shuangdian's reply left Li Huowang speechless. He thought the others would reject this ridiculous idea, but none of them objected.
"I must have been out of my mind to have trusted you all," Li Huowang muttered, stepping into the dark unknown. The rest of the group followed closely behind.
In the pitch-black desert, Li Huowang could only trust his instincts and keep walking. Whether he trusted his instincts or not made no difference since he couldn't see a path anyway.
Dawn slowly broke. Despite walking all night, they were still in the same desolate desert. The surrounding landscape hadn't changed at all.
Li Huowang shoved past the others and struggled to remove his helmet, which revealed his sweat-soaked face. "I'm tired! Let's rest for a bit!" 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮
He lay down right where he was without waiting for a response.
Spending a night stumbling in heavy gear had drained him, especially after their exhausting journey to wherever they were.
Wu Qi walked over and handed him a bottle of clear liquid from her medical kit. "Drink this. Don't get dehydrated."
"What is this?"
"Saline solution for cleaning wounds."
Li Huowang gulped it down, not caring about the saltiness. His body felt much better after that.
Li Huowang sighed deeply and looked at Wu Qi with a complicated expression. "Sister Chen Hongyu is dead."
"I know," Wu Qi replied.
She took the bottle from him and drank a large gulp. A hint of sadness appeared on her face as she gently patted Li Huowang's sweat-drenched hair. "It's okay. Don't be afraid."
"Sister Wu, I'm not afraid. I just don't understand them, and I don't understand you either."
"If you can't understand, then don't try to. Just focus on yourself. Empathy can lead to depression."
"Focus on myself...?" Li Huowang muttered.
He took another big swig from the bottle. He looked around at the barren desert and mumbled to himself, "Why is the place where god Yu'er exists so strange? Is this really the elephant where the Simings live?"
Chapter 897 - Decay
After a short rest, Li Huowang lifted his helmet and resumed walking. Whether it was real or not, they were already halfway there, and he had to continue forward.
As the sun rose, the temperature in the desert increased, making it even more unbearable than at night.
Everyone's faces showed signs of exhaustion, exacerbated by the fatigue of not sleeping or eating all night.
Li Huowang pressed forward in this tired state. By this point, the sun was high up in the sky.
Upon noticing something up ahead, Li Huowang and the others stopped. "Is that... Chen Hongyu?"
Li Huowang froze, looking at the familiar figure ahead. A flicker of joy crossed his face. "Could it be true? Does she possess supernatural abilities? Is she really alive?"
Li Huowang quickly rushed over, slowing down as he got closer.
It was indeed Chen Hongyu, but she hadn't come back to life. Her body had begun to decay under the intense heat, with large flies crawling in and out of her facial orifices while devouring her corpse.
After a day and night of decomposition, Chen Hongyu's corpse gave off an overwhelming stench. Although Li Huowang had killed many people, he had never imagined that a corpse could have such a disgusting smell.
The smell was so overwhelming that it was almost like an invisible wall, stopping Li Huowang from getting closer. It infiltrated his nostrils, causing his stomach to churn. It threatened to make him vomit everything inside.
Even with his helmet on, Li Huowang's eyes stung, and tears flowed uncontrollably. He tried to get closer, but he could not do it.
"Hey, madman! What's going on? Why did you bring us back here?" Ba Nanxu raised her pistol and shot Li Huowang in the back of the head.
Li Huowang stumbled forward a few steps and then turned around furiously. "Shoot me again if you dare!"
Ba Nanxu shot him again. "I'm asking you a question. Can you do this or not?"
"You're asking for it!" Li Huowang charged at Ba Nanxu while the others quickly grabbed him and pulled him back.
Smack! A loud slap echoed as Zhao Shuangdian hit Ba Nanxu across the face. "Don't cause trouble."
Ba Nanxu paused briefly, then tilted her head and chuckled. She stuck out her forked tongue and licked the air in the direction of Zhao Shuangdian before taking a step back.
Zhao Shuangdian ignored her and walked to Li Huowang. "Ignore her. I believe in you. You are the most special one. Keep searching."
Li Huowang paused for a brief moment, silently paying his respects to the lifeless body of Chen Hongyu. Then, he walked around her, determined to leave some marks behind to prevent himself from going in circles again.
After a few steps, he stopped abruptly. If the Siming of Decay had died, why hadn't decay disappeared?
Li Huowang suddenly turned back, rushing toward Chen Hongyu while enduring the overwhelming stench. As he drew near, a cloud of flies rose from her body.
He looked up at the swarm of flies in the air and laughed. "I knew it! I knew it!"
"Li Huowang! What are you doing? Come back!"
"Get away from there! Breathing in too much of that stench can cause a lung infection!"
He ignored their shouts and focused entirely on the movement of the flies. While most of the flies returned to Chen Hongyu's body, a few veered towards the east.
"I found it! Let's go! Decay hasn't disappeared yet!"
With Li Huowang in pursuit, the flies flew even faster.
Everyone ran behind Li Huowang for a long time, almost exhausting their stamina before he finally stopped.
He stood at the edge of a shallow depression, watching two flies disappear into a hole in the ground.
The opening was just big enough for someone to crouch and crawl inside.
"We've found the way into the elephant."
Once everyone had caught their breath, they prepared their weapons and entered.
The desert heat was intense, but it felt cool and refreshing inside the cave. In fact, some shade-loving plants and mushrooms were even growing in the corners.
The cave showed signs of human construction. It resembled a tunnel, though narrower than typical ones.
After quickly inspecting the structure, Qing Wanglai said, "This is probably part of an ancient Karez water system. It collapsed over time, which exposed the opening."
"What's your point?"
"Nothing, just explaining the technical information about the projection in this environment. While Karez tunnels are generally not wide, they can extend over very long distances. A single tunnel can even be comparable in size to multiple football fields. We should be prepared for enemies."
Li Huowang did not pay any attention to their conversation. He spotted a gray rat crawl along the wall and couldn't help but smile. His earlier negative emotions faded away.
Suddenly, a squeaking sound echoed through the tunnel from the direction where the rat had disappeared. Li Huowang's heart sank, and he charged into the darkness. "Light a flare!"
A red flare illuminated the dark tunnel. Li Huowang was already in motion, lunging toward a shadowy figure with his military knife.
A black umbrella came from the shadows and blocked his knife, sending sparks flying.
Li Huowang was about to counterattack when gunfire erupted and forced him back.
He looked at the figures emerging from the darkness and shouted back, "What are you waiting for? Help me!"
"Help with what?" Qing Wanglai asked, puzzled.
"What do you mean? Can't you see them? There are so many of them! Are you all blind?"
"No, we can't see anything."
Li Huowang turned around in shock and noticed the bewilderment on their faces. "You guys can't see them? You really can't see them? Could it be..."
As the realization dawned on him, the shadowy figures disappeared into the darkness.
Li Huowang paced back and forth while he panted heavily. He occasionally slammed his fist against his helmeted head.
The image of the swarm of flies and the gray rat flashed repeatedly in his mind. He felt a wave of suppressed anger and sorrow growing inside him.
Finally, Li Huowang stopped in his tracks. He raised his head and smashed it against the wall. "I knew it! I told you I wasn't okay, but you insisted I was! I'm insane! How could I lead anyone anywhere?!"
Chapter 898 - Contact
In the dim underground culvert[1] of the Karez system, Qing Wanglai reached out to catch the dust that gently fell from above due to the vibrations. The unstable structure made everyone feel uneasy. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢
Qing Wanglai tried to calm Li Huowang, who was hysterically banging his head against the wall. "Li Huowang, you'd better stop. We don't know how old this Karez system is. If you collapse this culvert, we'll all get buried here."
Li Huowang suddenly froze in place like a statue. It wasn't because of Qing Wanglai's words. It was because Zhao Shuangdian pressed a finger to her lips.
Zhao Shuangdian hushed him, and the noise gradually died down.
She seemed to have noticed something. His heart started to race as he became confident that she had unearthed something beyond his hallucinations.
Ba Nanxu saw Zhao Shuangdian crouch down silently and immediately threw herself over. She kneeled on the ground and used her back and hips to support the rifle.
Zhao Shuangdian stared into the pitch-black culvert ahead for a long time before suddenly pulling the trigger.
Bang! Blood appeared to seep out from the distant darkness.
Was I right? Could it be that what happened earlier wasn't entirely my hallucination?
Li Huowang felt a surge of joy at the possibility, motivating him to charge forward. The gunfire behind him didn't slow him down—it spurred him to move even faster.
When he emerged from the darkness again, he grabbed a terrified black man with both hands. "Can you all see him? Can you see him now? Is this man real or just another of my hallucinations?"
Everyone nodded, acknowledging that they could see the man. Li Huowang burst into laughter before raising his knife and stabbing it into the man's neck.
As Li Huowang yanked the knife out of the man's neck, a chunk of his trachea still clinging to it, a powerful force suddenly struck him from behind and sent him flying.
The force was so strong that Li Huowang was launched into the air. He saw the uneven ground below and knew that if he hit the ground, he would sustain serious injuries.
Li Huowang didn't want to get injured right after finding the enemy. He used all his strength to position the corpse beneath him as he fell.
Thud! Li Huowang landed heavily on the corpse, its face and skin grinding onto the rough ground below.
Li Huowang panted as he stood back up and returned to the side of his comrades. Everyone focused ahead, and more people began to emerge from the darkness.
They were human and primarily black people. They all held various firearms, though many of them were injured, likely from the earlier confrontation.
At the forefront was a towering black man. He looked at the body of his fallen comrade with a hint of restrained anger. Instead of lashing out, he furrowed his brow and looked at Li Huowang. "Nafurahi kukuona[2]."
Qing Wanglai stepped forward past Li Huowang, smiling as he replied, "Jumbo na gomvi maridhawa[3]."
The man's expression softened slightly since Qing Wanglai could communicate. He stepped closer and continued, "Rafiki, mungu wetu na mfalme wetu[4]."
The next moment, Qing Wanglai raised his hand and shot the man in the head. The element of surprise had allowed him to get rid of their leader.
"Nye[5]!" Furious shouts erupted as the enemy raised their weapons.
Without hesitation, Qing Wanglai turned and hid behind Li Huowang, pushing him forward with both hands.
"Get out of the way!" Li Huowang kicked backward, using the momentum to charge forward with his knife.
Li Huowang's sharp blade sliced through flesh. Sensing the vibration of the blade, he slid it to the joint and cut off the enemy's arm with a resounding crack.
As he saw a heavy weapon aimed at him from afar, he roared and used his knives to impale the man. Li Huowang used him as a shield and advanced on the others.
Gunfire erupted, and Li Huowang's human shield was quickly torn into shreds. He had crouched just in time to dodge the attack.
Li Huowang gripped his knife and hurled it at the shooter, hitting them with pinpoint accuracy.
It wasn't over yet. He couldn't let that weapon fall into enemy hands. His bulletproof vest wouldn't stop that kind of firepower.
As Li Huowang was about to charge forward and clear a path, a dark object rolled to his feet.
A grenade?! Li Huowang lifted his right foot and kicked it away.
Before it could get far, a massive explosion shook the ground.
Li Huowang bore the brunt of the blast since he was the closest to it. If it weren't for his equipment, he might have died.
Even so, when the dust settled, he found himself buried in debris, with only one hand exposed.
In the darkness, he felt someone pat his hand to signal him to stay calm. After a while, his surroundings lit up as he was rescued from beneath the rubble. He finally felt a sense of camaraderie as he watched his companions work together to clear the debris from him.
"Are you okay? Can you hear me? Li Huowang, how many fingers am I holding up?" Wu Qi's face swayed before him while his head buzzed.
Li Huowang turned around and looked at the collapsed culvert, now filled with rubble. There were no more enemies in sight.
The buzzing in Li Huowang's head subsided a bit, and he could hear Qing Wanglai's voice nearby.
Qing Wanglai said, "They intentionally did this to block our way and prevent us from getting closer."
He took out a compass from his pocket and shook it briefly. "But it's fine. This will only delay us. Karez systems are long, with access points at various intervals. If we follow this direction, we'll find another entrance.
"Alright, let's not waste any more time. Judging by their reaction, we've found the right place."
Li Huowang, lying on the ground, suddenly reached out and grabbed Qing Wanglai's ankle tightly. "Three Pure Ones! I've been meaning to ask you this for a while. How come you speak their language? Are you close to them?"
1. A structure to channel water past obstacles. ☜
2. Swahili: I'm glad to see you. ☜
3. Swahili: Great and wonderful friends. ☜
4. Swahili: Friend, our God, and our king. ☜
5. Swahili: No ☜
Chapter 899 - Culvert
Qing Wanglai chuckled and adjusted the bridge of his glasses with one of his fingers. "It's a secret."
Qing Wanglai and Wu Qi helped Li Huowang stand up.
"You can communicate with them, so why not try to negotiate and make peace? What do they want? Or do you have some other purpose?"
"If things were that simple, I would've done it long ago. It's too late now. After what happened before, there's no way for us to coexist peacefully."
Just then, Wu Qi glanced at Qing Wanglai. "Be careful, his ribs are broken."
"It's fine. This wasn't from the rocks—it was from being smashed by a lunatic earlier. I can walk by myself." Li Huowang pushed them away forcefully and staggered along with the others to leave the area.
Although Li Huowang was injured, he seemed more composed than before. He now knew that not everything he had seen was a hallucination. Chen Hongyu hadn't died—she was now another kind of existence.
Li Huowang began to notice a pattern emerging, albeit vaguely. Certain aspects of these peoples' worldviews were untrue, while others held true to reality.
For example, Qing Wanglai's projection theory had been confirmed in Chen Hongyu's case.
Li Huowang quickened his pace, bent down, and picked up a fat, gray rat lying on the moss. "Are you okay?"
The shockwave left it stunned, but it was still alive.
Li Huowang placed it on his shoulder and walked out, ignoring the hushed comments coming from behind.
They returned to the hot desert, with Qing Wanglai taking the lead this time. Fortunately, the paths he had mentioned earlier were there. After about an hour of traveling toward the collapsed area, a dark wellhead came into view.
"The collapse should be about a kilometer away. If we enter from here, we won't be blocked," Qing Wanglai said, slipping the compass into his pocket.
He continued, "There's just one problem. We don't know if those people are waiting to ambush us below. So, we need someone to scout ahead."
The well was deep and dark, and its interior was completely unknown.
Everyone looked at each other, and eventually, all eyes fell on Li Huowang.
"Why me? Do I have 'sucker' written on my face?"
Qing Wanglai said, "Li Huowang, this isn't just for everyone else—it's also for yourself. Your gear is better than ours, and if you help us, I'll agree to do one thing for you—anything within my power."
"Sorry, I don't buy into empty promises. If you want to be fair, let's draw lots."
Li Huowang had lost all trust in them, having witnessed how they manipulated Chen Hongyu. While thinking about this, he glanced down at the rat he was holding. It had woken up and was sniffing around.
He gently stroked the rat's head, but a look of panic suddenly crossed his face.
He hurried over to Zhao Lei and lifted the rat to his face. "Can you see this? Tell me, can you see this rat?"
Zhao Lei jumped back, startled. "Yes, I see it! I see it! Li Huowang, what's gotten into you? You're acting crazier and crazier!"
"If you can see it, I know it's not a hallucination," Li Huowang said, gently patting the rat's head and taking a long breath.
He paused for a second before walking over to Qing Wanglai and Zhao Shuangdian, who were discussing their next steps.
"I can go down and scout the path, but there's something I'll need you to do for me when we return."
"What is it?" Zhao Shuangdian asked.
"I need you to help me get the prescription meds Yi Donglai gave me regularly."
Li Huowang knew he couldn't continue like this, confusing reality with hallucinations.
If he was genuinely ill, he needed to keep taking his medications. Although they wouldn't cure him, they could at least help stabilize his condition and prevent further hallucinations.
Qing Wanglai and Zhao Shuangdian exchanged glances and nodded. "Alright."
Li Huowang wasted no time. He headed straight to the well.
He placed his feet against the sides of the well and peered into the pitch-black darkness below. A cold wind whistled up from within, adding to the sense of danger.
"Light a flare."
As he reached out to take the flare stick, the rat in his hand suddenly wriggled free and leaped into the darkness below.
Li Huowang tried to stop it. However, the rat had already disappeared into the darkness.
After a brief pause, Li Huowang shouted, "Sister Chen! How's it down there? Are there any ambushes?" 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
Faint squeaking echoed up from the depths. Li Huowang relaxed his legs and swiftly descended.
As soon as he landed, he raised the flare stick high. The bright red light illuminated everything around him.
Li Huowang scanned the surroundings, finding no trace of any enemies. He waved the flare stick, signaling for the rest of the group to descend.
While waiting for them, Li Huowang said, "Sister Chen, thank you. You don't need to help me next time. I can handle it myself."
At that moment, Wu Qi climbed down the rope and looked at Li Huowang with concern. "Who are you talking to?"
Li Huowang shook his head and did not offer any explanation. He knew that no one would believe him anyway.
"Stay on high alert," said Zhao Shuangdian, taking the lead. "We have already alerted the enemy, so they will be on high alert now."
Li Huowang had believed their side had the advantage, but now it seemed like they were walking into a death trap. "Are you sure there are enough of us? It looks like they have way more people."
Zhao Shuangdian shook her head. "They're not as strong as you think, and we're not as weak as you think. Last time, we hurt them badly. They're scared now."
She turned to Li Huowang. "There's no need to force yourself to understand me. It's fine. You can interpret things through your own worldview.
"Whether it's the elephant's tusk or leg, both are parts of the same elephant. Everything is interconnected.
"However you perceive me in your world, that's exactly what I am."
Li Huowang looked at her delicate profile. "I'd like to know, but right now, I really don't understand what kind of Siming you are."
The culvert grew quieter as they advanced. They even switched off their flashlights, moving forward in complete darkness to avoid detection.
After about half an hour, the air became thick with the acrid smell of burning metal and chemicals. The stench was unbearable, even through Li Huowang's helmet.
Qing Wanglai's soft voice reached his ears. "That's the smell of methamphetamine. We're almost there."