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Chapter34
Not only Zhou You witnessed this, but other workers on the stone steps also started jumping down, turning instantly into sacrifices, drained of blood in the blink of an eye.
"This is too eerie!" Zhou You looked around, picked up a gun from the ground, and started shooting at the wall's designs. After a moment, he realized that destroying the designs deactivated their red glow. Tossing aside the gun, he grabbed a laser weapon from a guard and shouted, "What are you waiting for? Want to become sacrifices?"
He wasn't sure about the true nature of this 'master' they were following, but anyone willing to sacrifice lives so casually must be malevolent. Killing was the only option.
The cave was vast, and the designs were numerous. Zhou You knew he couldn't destroy them all on his own. Seizing a guard, he inquired, "Any explosives around? Surely, you used some to blast open this cave?"
"The... the explosives were used up and properly disposed of. Nothing flammable or explosive can exist in here. We patrol daily."
"Damn! So there's no quick way to destroy these designs?" By the time he finished, everyone inside would be dead.
Zhou You thought of another plan: find the mastermind behind all this and kill him. That should end everything here.
"Where's this 'master' hiding?" Zhou You asked angrily.
The crowd only shook their heads in response, "We've never seen him here. We don't know how his voice could resonate in this place."
This situation seemed almost paranormal. Zhou You didn't believe in such powerful entities, at least not any mutant beasts that had evolved into supernatural beings. Could ghosts be real?
"You all help bring the workers up. I'll figure something out." Zhou You calmed himself. There must be a central focal point controlling everything. If he destroyed it, everything would cease.
Using his psychic senses to explore his surroundings, he closed his eyes. Complex patterns and the ominous Nine Dragons Pillar appeared in his mind.
The stone pillar undoubtedly stood at the very heart of the altar, with surrounding patterns echoing its prominence. Could the critical point of the formation be within the altar?
Shao Qi was jolted awake from his meditation, opened the car door, and jumped out. On the distant horizon, a streak of red light appeared, which felt eerily familiar.
"Could he be hiding there? This demon still hasn’t given up," Shao Qi mused. His venture into the Yunlan Mountains was prompted by rumors that Master Wei had fled here, gathering new disciples in preparation to activate the Qianling formation.
Three years ago, he received news of a small base's annihilation. Every base was critical to the Huaguo nation. If there were survivors, they had to be rescued. But upon reaching the base, what he found were desiccated corpses everywhere, with the whole city shrouded in a red mist.
This catastrophe wasn't the work of mutant beasts. After searching the entire city, he finally encountered the eerie figure of Master Wei in a martial arts hall, absorbing the surrounding red fog.
Perhaps Master Wei hadn't expected anyone to arrive so soon. His ritual was interrupted, and the backlash from the interrupted spell, coupled with Shao Qi's attack, left him injured. Shao Qi wanted to detain and interrogate him, but an ensorcelled guard facilitated Master Wei's escape. Over the past three years, Shao Qi had been pursuing this man, with scarce information available other than his surname, Wei. His followers revered him as "Master Wei", claiming he could commune with the spirits and considered himself a divine messenger.
After the apocalypse, former atheists desperately sought faith. Numerous cults emerged, many led by charlatans. However, this Master Wei, with his profound mystic arts, stood out as a genuinely terrifying extremist, audaciously sacrificing an entire base's population for his dark practices.
Shao Qi returned to the vehicle and bluntly told Li Hongxi: "Give me a vehicle and food for three days. I need to leave on my own."
Relying on Shao Qi to lead the way, a worried Li Hongxi asked, "Mr. Shao, didn't you promise to guide us out?"
"I've given you the map. You're already at the edge of the mountains. Following it should ensure your safety. I have urgent matters to attend to." Shao Qi wasn't asking for Li Hongxi's approval but merely informing him. Regret washed over Li Hongxi, realizing Shao Qi never owed them any obligations.
"Understood, Mr. Shao. Can you drive an armored vehicle? We have a spare one you can take. Given your injuries, would you like an escort?"
"That won't be necessary. You've saved me. As repayment, once you reach Yang City, present this letter of introduction to the city lord, Xu Yintian." Shao Qi quickly wrote a note on a medical record sheet and handed it over. Without an official seal, Li Hongxi wasn't sure of its authenticity but trusted Shao Qi's esteemed status and his possible connection to the city lord.
"Thank you, Mr. Shao. But can your body handle it?"
"I'll manage," Shao Qi replied. Wearing the clothes borrowed from Li Hongxi, he transferred a hundred points to Li as compensation for medical and food expenses. Then, he drove the armored vehicle in a different direction.
"Boss, are we just letting him go like that?" Wang Kunyu asked impatiently.
Li Hongxi sighed, "What choice do we have? If we take advantage of his weakened state now, we'll pay dearly when he recovers."
"But we shouldn't have let him take the armored vehicle. It's one of our most valuable assets!"
Waving the letter in his hand, Li Hongxi commented, "A vehicle for this introduction letter. Seems worth it to me."
Wang Kunyu remarked sarcastically, "We don't even know if it's genuine."
With an enigmatic look, Li Hongxi patted his shoulder, "Let's stay optimistic, what if it is?"
Shao Qi's driving skills were impeccable. Even in the rugged mountain terrains without proper roads, he navigated seamlessly. As he drove closer to the source of the red light, a mysterious and unsettling power became palpable.
Shao Qi touched a communicator on his chest with his fingertip. A mechanical female voice stated, "Fingerprint unlocked. Please input contact details and message."