"Got it."
Jing Minghe replied and focused on running.
Couldn't they just take them all down and drag them over?
Jing Minghe muttered to himself as he ran.
"She must get revenge herself, preferably while still alive."
Hearing Chi Hao's answer, Jing Minghe almost ran in the wrong direction. "Holy crap, Chi Dàlǎobǎ, what kind of mind-reading skill is that? Teach me."
Chi Hao let out a light laugh in response.
Tsk, this guy is too terrifying. If we were outside, I'd definitely stay far away from people like him.
Finally spotting the altar, Jing Minghe and Chi Hao exchanged a glance and simultaneously quickened their pace.
As they got closer to the altar, they both threw the urns in their hands.
Yue Yang and Guo Wei, who were waiting at the altar, stepped forward and caught the urns accurately. Although both of them had looks of confusion and surprise on their faces, their reaction times were commendable.
This was Jing Minghe's first time seeing the altar.
Seven slots with candle strings were inserted into the holes on the altar's edge, and seven large red lanterns without candles floated above.
"Minghe, Mr. Chi."
You Mi looked at the two facing seven with worry. She wanted to help but feared she would only be a burden instead of being helpful, so she retreated.
Hearing Yue Yang ask, "Why are there two urns? What do we do next?"
Jing Minghe and Chi Hao were holding off the mayor and his men who were trying to snatch the urns and couldn't spare a moment. You Mi thought for a moment and said, "This should be Lan Zhi's ashes. Place them on the altar, preferably close to the red lanterns."
It was all she could think of, and there wouldn't be any harm in trying for now.
Yue Yang and Guo Wei heard this and, carrying the urns, jumped onto the altar. After a brief discussion, they placed the two urns side-by-side in the center of the seven slots.
There was no reaction from the altar.
Jing Minghe and Chi Hao were both very capable fighters, but the mayor's group were no ordinary people. They were fast and strong, and the two of them were struggling to hold them back.
Jing Minghe saw the situation on the altar. "Why no reaction?"
"You go up!" Chi Hao commanded.
"What?"
Jing Minghe thought he had misheard, but Chi Hao repeated it very clearly, emphasizing each word.
"You, go up!"
"Me go up? If I go up, you'll be torn to shreds by these seven old guys."
As if to confirm Jing Minghe's words, the seven leaders' attacks intensified.
"Go up!"
Chi Hao's tone was unquestionable.
Jing Minghe tsked, kicked away one of the mayor's brothers, turned, and rushed directly to the altar, jumping onto it in a few steps.
Seeing this, Yue Yang and Guo Wei jumped off the altar and went to help Chi Hao block.
Jing Minghe stood beside the two urns on the altar and shouted to Chi Hao, "I'm up here, still no reaction."
Chi Hao didn't answer, but Jing Minghe remembered something and told him, "Hold on, I'll try that."
As for what Jing Minghe meant by "that," no one knew. They only saw him lower his head, clear his throat, and then begin to chant in a strange tone.
"Seven emotions tied to candles, true hearts burdened, cherishing each other from afar, pitying for destiny, you promise your true words, I offer this body..."
Yue Yang was sent flying, crashing heavily to the ground. His previous injuries reopened, causing him to feel dizzy with pain. He couldn't help but shout at Jing Minghe on the altar, "What are you singing nonsensically! Hurry and think of a way!"
Jing Minghe ignored Yue Yang and recited the lyrics repeatedly.
When the lyrics were repeated for the seventh time, his voice and tune changed simultaneously.
It turned into a beautiful and melodious sound.
Upon closer inspection, Jing Minghe's physique seemed to change, and he wasn't just standing and singing but accompanied by equally graceful dance moves.
You Mi's mouth fell open, and she uttered a disbelieving sentence, "Is that Lan Zhi?"
The moment Lan Zhi's voice emerged, the seven leaders were frozen. They were pulled under the altar by an invisible force, lying neatly in front of the candle slots.
Bumps began to form on their backs, growing until they ripped through their clothes.
"The sacs on their bodies? Could it be..."
You Mi's words were cut short by a "boom." The sacs on the backs of all seven individuals burst simultaneously, and a red viscous liquid flew directly into the seven candle slots. Soon, it solidified into seven red candles, which detached from the slots and slowly ascended.
"Candle liquid?" You Mi uttered the last two words with disbelief, no longer questioning but certain.
The seven red candles rose into the lanterns and ignited all at once with a "swish."
As soon as the red candles were lit, the previously dark sky gradually brightened. The sun rose, and Yongye Town welcomed sunlight.
Beside the altar, a light gate appeared, leading to the resting area. Sudancao.com
"Did we clear it?" Yue Yang stared at the light gate. "Yes, we can leave now, right?"
Guo Wei caught his breath. "We should be able to leave."
He then was the first to step through the light gate.
"Minghe?" You Mi looked at the altar. Jing Minghe was still singing, his voice still Lan Zhi's. "How can this be? Minghe he..."
"Perhaps, he has to stay here," Yue Yang voiced his guess.
You Mi vehemently denied it. "Impossible! How can you let Minghe stay here! If it weren't for Minghe, we wouldn't have cleared this."
"So what? What if he stops and the night falls again?" Yue Yang glanced at Jing Minghe, then looked away. "Maybe this place needs him to stay, to take the place of that woman. We'd best leave quickly and not waste time here."
With that said, Yue Yang turned and walked into the light gate.
"You!" You Mi glared at Yue Yang hatefully, but he was already gone, so what could she say?
Her gaze swept to another figure - Chi Hao.
"Mr. Chi?"
Chi Hao was looking at Jing Minghe on the altar, his brow furrowed. "Yue Yang's guess is not without reason."
You Mi shook her head, unwilling to believe it. Why did even Chi Hao say this?
"Mr. Chi," You Mi said resolutely, "we absolutely cannot leave Minghe here."
"You leave first."
"What?" You Mi clenched her fists, turned to look at Jing Minghe on the altar. Although their relationship outside was only that of a doctor and patient, and she didn't know Jing Minghe very well, she had always known him to be an optimistic, brave, aspiring, and intelligent person. After they entered the City of Death, she had always believed that Jing Minghe would be someone who could go far here, even to the unknown end.
You Mi couldn't believe that, in only their second time in the Life and Death Game, Jing Minghe was going to stop.
"Go quickly," Chi Hao commanded coldly. "Leave this place."
"I..."
Seeing You Mi's hesitation, Chi Hao walked up to her, grabbed her, and pulled her to the light gate. Amidst You Mi's resistance, he threw her into the light gate. He himself stood still for a moment, then slowly walked towards the altar.
"Jing Minghe," Chi Hao approached the still singing person step by step. "You're a good partner."
With narrowed eyes and a slight curl of his lips, Chi Hao estimated the distance between the altar and the light gate and said self-mockingly, "Who hasn't had a moment of impulse?"