Gao Zhenli didn't exactly know Jing Minghe, only hearing about him from You Mi and others. After the previous incident, she could tell that this Jing Minghe was likely the key to their successful escape from the City of Death.
"Follow me."
Jing Minghe only said three words to her, and all she could do was trust and obey unconditionally.
Gao Zhenli didn't even ask "Where are we going?" When Jing Minghe told her to follow, she followed directly. However, the journey was more than just "walking."
It was either swamps, thorny bushes, or strange rock formations. Honestly, without Jing Minghe leading the way, she would never have reached the end by herself. She would have been trapped in a swamp, entangled in thorns, or lost in the rock forest.
Upon reaching the destination, Jing Minghe explained her next task and then inexplicably vanished into thin air.
Gao Zhenli didn't pay much attention. She just stared intently at the yellow button in front of her, keeping Jing Minghe's instructions firmly in mind, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.
In another space, Hao Yu and Jing Minghe, after slaying countless monsters, finally reached the very top of the mountain. On the empty summit, the large white disc was exceptionally conspicuous.
As they approached, before Jing Minghe could speak, Hao Yu already understood.
"Is it to wait for the countdown to finish and press that green button?"
"Yes," Jing Minghe said expressionlessly. "I'll trouble you. Just don't miss the time."
With that, Jing Minghe vanished into thin air. Hao Yu merely glanced casually at the spot where Jing Minghe had been standing, then walked to the button and stared at the countdown. Perhaps, they could truly leave the City of Death, even return to where they truly belonged.
Gong Liang followed leisurely behind Jing Minghe, completely ignoring the harassment of the surrounding ghosts as if they were nothing. His eyes were solely fixed on this almost-human, almost-ghost Jing Minghe.
"You are quite different," Jing Minghe suddenly spoke. "If it were anyone else, they would have already been influenced by these soul-bewitching ghosts and fallen into hallucinations, unable to proceed."
Gong Liang smiled calmly. "Weren't you also not influenced?"
"I am different from you," Jing Minghe turned back, his gaze calmly fixed on Gong Liang. "In my eyes, these ghosts are merely data."
"Oh?" Gong Liang stepped forward, closing in on Jing Minghe. "Very interesting. Who exactly is that Lu Fanfei? How did he turn you into this?"
"Want to know?" At this moment, Jing Minghe was like an emotionless machine. "Then complete the mission seriously, otherwise, all will turn to dust. This is not a joke."
Gong Liang shrugged and smiled, "Do you think I look like I'm joking?"
"Not like, you truly are," Jing Minghe stared into Gong Liang's eyes and said word by word, "Others are playing with their lives here, but you are truly playing a game."
Gong Liang narrowed his eyes and suddenly let out a wry smile. "You aren't the Jing Minghe they talk about, are you? Although I've never teamed up with the real Jing Minghe, the Jing Minghe everyone talks about is pretty much the same. You, however, feel so different from the Jing Minghe they describe."
"Yes, or no," Jing Minghe turned around and continued forward. "It doesn't matter to you."
Gong Liang, however, said, "How could it not matter? I'm very interested in you, and that Lu Fanfei."
Jing Minghe only said two words, "Thank you," and then fell silent. Sudannovel.com
Reaching the end, Gong Liang saw what was in front of him and immediately understood. "That blue button, is that my mission? It's almost... too simple."
"Whether it's simple or difficult," Jing Minghe said, "this is your last game. Make the most of it."
After Jing Minghe finished speaking, he disappeared. Gong Liang looked meaningfully at the blue button on the white disc and the countdown ticking away second by second.
"Although it's simple, it's very interesting."
Tong Zheng remained silent throughout, not because he didn't want to speak, but because he couldn't afford to be distracted. He had to focus all his attention on the layers of mechanisms. His coordination with Jing Minghe had to be flawless. After all, due to his momentary distraction before, they had almost been turned into human sieves.
One mechanism was broken, followed by another. One after another, as if they would continue endlessly.
Sweat was already blurring Tong Zheng's eyes, and his heartbeat was constantly accelerating. He didn't know if the oxygen around him was becoming thinner or if his own tension was increasing.
"We're here."
Finally, just as he was about to collapse, Jing Minghe's voice reached his ears. No new mechanisms appeared, and the path ahead opened up into a vast, azure ocean. On the expansive beach, only he and Jing Minghe were present. The sea was clearly moving, yet no sound could be heard.
No sound of the sea, nor the wind. It was eerily silent.
"Minghe? Where is this?"
Jing Minghe didn't answer Tong Zheng's question but instead said, "Brother Tong, look to your left."
"Left?" Tong Zheng turned his head in confusion, and a huge white disc was right beside him. He was puzzled as to why he hadn't noticed it before.
"What is this?" Tong Zheng turned to face the disc. In the center of the white disc was a blue button, with a countdown above it: eight minutes.
Jing Minghe walked to Tong Zheng's side. "Brother Tong, when the countdown reaches zero, press this button. Don't miss the time."
"Okay, I understand." Tong Zheng stared at the time. He thought he had enough time left to ask Jing Minghe a few questions. However, before he could speak, Jing Minghe beside him had already vanished without a trace.
"Minghe?"
He looked around. He was alone on the entire beach, with no sign of Jing Minghe anywhere.
What was going on?
He was completely clueless, baffled. Ever since they met Lu Fanfei, the development of events had been beyond his comprehension.
According to what Gu Chenhui said, Lu Fanfei was Jing Minghe's brother and should have doted on Jing Minghe immensely. However, in his opinion, it didn't seem that way.
He always felt that Lu Fanfei was using Jing Minghe like a tool.
Facing the Jing Minghe in front of him, Gu Chenhui felt no disturbance. He knew this wasn't the Jing Minghe he knew.
Groups of mutated beasts charged at them. He calmly cooperated with Jing Minghe to slay them. After killing an unknown number of mutated beasts, his arms were so tired he could barely lift them. Finally, after he killed a particular mutated beast, Jing Minghe strode over, reached into the beast's mouth, and pulled out a key.
Jing Minghe handed the key to Gu Chenhui. "I'll clear the path for you. You go open the door."