After walking for a while, Jing Minghe heard Chi Hao ask him in a low voice, "Now can you tell me what you saw on that Zhang Yu?"
Jing Minghe chuckled, "Nothing can be hidden from the great Chi."
"Just now in the temple, when your eyes swept in Zhang Yu's direction, the words you were about to say stopped short," Chi Hao turned to look at Jing Minghe, his tone serious. "You are not a stingy person, and I am not a fool."
Jing Minghe, being led around like a child, suddenly wanted to tease Chi Hao to alleviate his own slight discomfort. "Are you complimenting me, Hao Ge? Or complimenting yourself?"
"Complimenting you."
"...Haha, thanks, thanks."
To be outplayed like this, the great Chi was becoming more and more difficult to deal with.
Jing Minghe gave up on teasing Chi Hao, his expression turning serious as he answered Chi Hao's earlier question. "I saw characters near Zhang Yu's head. Judging by the height, it should be his forehead, but it was too blurry to see what the characters were."
Chi Hao was silent for a moment before speaking, "Is that person still Zhang Yu?"
Jing Minghe paused and said to Chi Hao, "It seems you and I think alike. That person is Zhang Yu, and yet, perhaps, he is no longer Zhang Yu."
He sighed, "What did he encounter?"
"Don't worry, we'll find out eventually."
"Mhm."
·
Although Tong Zheng and the other five had been divided into groups by Jing Minghe, they returned to the village together. After discussion, they formed three groups. Jiang Zheng and Yan Xiaoqian were responsible for inquiring about the girl in the mural who rescued people. Ke Wuwen and You Mi were responsible for looking for anything related to the seal pattern in the village. Tong Zheng and Lin Ling were responsible for finding the whereabouts of the Blood Jade Scepter.
After assigning tasks, the six finally split up to act independently.
Tong Zheng took Lin Ling to chat with the elders gathered in the village, trying to find out something about the Blood Jade Scepter.
But after asking for a long time, no one knew what the Blood Jade Scepter was, let alone its whereabouts.
The two were tired and hungry. Lin Ling couldn't help but tug on Tong Zheng's arm, "Mr. Tong, let's rest for a while. I'm feeling a bit dizzy."
Tong Zheng hesitated for a moment and agreed, "Alright. We haven't eaten all day. Let's rest, and then we'll find some villagers to beg for food, just to fill our stomachs."
"Thank you," Lin Ling lowered her head, pursed her lips, and couldn't help but say disheartened words, "We've asked so many people, and we haven't gotten any news about the Blood Jade Scepter. Does this thing even exist? What if what Mr. Jing saw was misleading us? Wouldn't we be working for nothing?"
Tong Zheng frowned, also looking troubled, "This instance is very strange. It seems only Minghe can see all the important clues. I believe Minghe wouldn't lie to us. After all, he paid the price to see those things, so he can only tell us all the clues he knows without reservation and get out with us."
"Really?" Lin Ling really wanted to believe, but she was still a little worried. "But Mr. Jing has Mr. Chi, doesn't he? Mr. Chi is so powerful, maybe, maybe he doesn't need us at all."
"Don't think nonsense," Tong Zheng comforted Lin Ling. "Even if he didn't have to tell us all the clues because he needed us, I believe in Minghe. He's not a selfish person. Moreover, having teammates who can fight together all the time is much better than constantly meeting new teammates, don't you think?"
Lin Ling was silent for a while before looking up and smiling, "Mr. Tong is right. I was overthinking."
Tong Zheng nodded, stepped forward, and gently patted Lin Ling's shoulder. "You have to believe in your teammates to go further."
"Thank you, Brother Tong."
"Are you rested? Let's go find something to eat together."
"Okay," Lin Ling had taken two steps when she suddenly stopped, looking at Tong Zheng with an embarrassed expression, and said softly, "Brother Tong, I... I need to go to the restroom. Can you wait for me for a moment?"
Tong Zheng was stunned for a moment and nodded, "Of course."
After thanking Tong Zheng, Lin Ling looked around. There were two grain silos not far from them. She pointed in the direction of the grain silos and said to Tong Zheng, "I'll take care of it behind that one. I'll be back soon. Brother Tong, you must wait for me."
"Don't worry, I'll wait for you right here. I won't leave first."
Lin Ling ran behind the grain silos, looking back at Tong Zheng repeatedly. She quickly finished her business. As she stood up to go back, she suddenly noticed someone emerging from behind the other grain silo. To go back, she had to pass that grain silo.
Lin Ling held her breath, comforting herself in her heart that it was daytime and there wouldn't be any danger.
Seeing clearly who had come out from behind the other grain silo, Lin Ling couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. "Chen Mu, it's you. You scared me. What are you doing here? Brother Tong said you went to the Dragon King Temple with them before. But you disappeared after we came up from underground last night. Where did you go?"
Chen Mu walked closer to Lin Ling. He didn't answer Lin Ling's question, but instead asked Lin Ling, "What's your name?"
"Huh?" Lin Ling looked bewildered and worried, "Chen Mu? What's wrong with you?"
Chen Mu asked Lin Ling the same question again, "What's your name?"
Lin Ling assumed Chen Mu had been stimulated and seriously replied, "I'm Lin Ling, don't you remember me? Did something happen to you? Brother Tong is over there, let's go find him together."
"You're called Lin Ling?"
"Yes." Lin Ling looked closely at Chen Mu. He seemed no different from usual, and everything appeared normal on the surface.
"Will you save me?"
Although she felt it was strange for Chen Mu to ask her such a question at this moment, Lin Ling remembered that she and Chen Mu had known each other since their first instance, and Chen Mu had helped her before. So she replied, "You helped me before. If I can save you, I will naturally help you."
"So, are you willing?"
Chen Mu's expression was very serious. Lin Ling nodded unconsciously. She believed that Chen Mu must have encountered some difficulty. If her promise could reassure Chen Mu, it was just a matter of agreeing, and it wasn't a big deal.
"I am willing to help you. Let's go find Tong..."
Lin Ling's words suddenly stopped. She saw something emerge from Chen Mu's mouth. Before she could cry out, the thing had already flown into her mouth at lightning speed. Before her consciousness completely disappeared, Lin Ling saw Chen Mu turn into a pile of ashes, which was then swept away by the passing wind.
After the incredible scene, Lin Ling realized that she was no longer herself.
No! I don't want to die!
Ah!!!
The painful cries could not be conveyed to anyone. She could only watch herself being completely swallowed by darkness.
Infinite despair spread in her heart, but she didn't know that all this despair was becoming nourishment for the entity that possessed her, allowing it to occupy the body that did not belong to it more quickly.