Zyklon-Säbel

Kapitel 122

Following Jiang Xiaoqiao's gaze, she saw that Grandma Su was standing there helplessly, not knowing where to put her hands, looking at Jiang Xiaohui with a doting yet humble look.

***When did her white hair become so glaring? And her face, so old, so wrinkled! Those hands, the hands that once held me, have become so withered! But only her eyes haven't changed, still so gentle, still so loving! Will she never hold me again? Will she never cook delicious food for me again? Will she never make new clothes for me again?

Jiang Xiaohui's face was slowly returning to normal. Although it was still as pale as snow, her eyes had lost some of their fierceness and resentment, and gained more confusion and hesitation.

Taking advantage of this moment, I focused more blue light particles and with a wave, they swept towards Zhao Xing and Bai Ling in an overwhelming wave! The blue light particles surrounded them, rotating in a spiral, and slowly, red souls emerged from their bodies like seedlings being pulled up, flying towards my ring!

"You're not allowed to take them!" Jiang Xiaohui's eyes caught sight of me, and she immediately became agitated again, yelling as she reached for the two red soul orbs!

"Sister!" Jiang Xiaoqiao suddenly shielded her with her body, and the red light net instantly passed through her body!

"Sister!" Jiang Xiaohui grabbed Jiang Xiaoqiao, who was falling, and looked at her incredulously: "What are you doing?"

"I just don't want you to keep making the same mistakes!" Jiang Xiaoqiao said, blood spurting out as she spoke. "Let's start over, okay? No one will betray anyone again! We'll be together forever... forever! Come on, let's pinky swear."

"Sister..." At this moment, Jiang Xiaohui had completely returned to being a child. As tears flowed down, the intense red color on her body slowly faded. Although it was still red, it no longer gave people a sense of blood.

Jiang Xiaohui stretched out her little finger and hooked it with Jiang Xiaoqiao's hand, then took Grandma Su's hand, and the three fingers hooked together again, returning to their childhood when the three of them had done the same thing, vowing to be together forever.

Watching the two red soul orbs enter my ring, my mood didn't improve at all. Looking at the three people before me, all bound together by mutual concern and entanglement, I suddenly realized how strange humans are—capable of such intense hatred and such complete forgiveness. Perhaps love and hate are separated by a fine line, or perhaps they are inherently one!

I love you, that's why I hate you!

I hate you because I love you so deeply!

Answer to Chapter 71 of Book 3: Delicacies of Hell

Answer to Chapter 71 of Book 3: Delicacies of Hell

The black door wasn't closed because there was no "key," but at least it wasn't opening anymore! However, black ghostly figures continued to flow out from the cracks in the door, baring their fangs and claws as they passed by our feet. The feeling of them sliding past our feet was like a sticky limb.

"Why hasn't the gate to hell closed yet?" I asked anxiously. The three women huddled together in front of me were slowly twisting into a giant twist, their features and bodies completely deformed. The black shadows were constantly surging and squeezing at them, as if their internal organs were about to be squeezed out, moving unevenly across their skin.

"The gates of hell are easy to open but difficult to close. I'm afraid we'll have to ask my master to solve this," Fang Lei said helplessly.

“But it’s too far from here to Mount Emei, I’m afraid we won’t make it in time!” Li Yang said.

"What should we do then?" Abao kicked the black ghostly shadows under his feet with some disgust, but it only mixed them up, like chewing gum stuck on them, and he couldn't shake them off!

I glanced at Jiang Xiaohui and the other two, took a step forward, but Fang Lei stopped me and asked, "What do you want to do?"

"Don't worry, I don't want to save them, I want to ask Xiaohui! Tell her who is the person who can open the gate to the underworld with this formation?" I gave Fang Lei a reassuring smile, although I didn't know if I could still get anything out of them now.

"Jiang Xiaohui, who was the person who told you about the formation? Also, did she tell you how to close it?" I asked the thing in front of me that I couldn't tell if it was a person or a ghost.

Sure enough, Jiang Xiaohui seemed unable to speak anymore, but I could still vaguely sense her shaking her head. Perhaps because the three of them were already entangled, Jiang Xiaoqiao suddenly reached out her hand, as if to tell me something on behalf of Jiang Xiaohui. The scene was as comical and absurd as an octopus with all eight legs tangled together finally managing to free one tentacle, yet also eerily terrifying and chilling.

Although I was extremely reluctant to touch the monster in front of me, I still stepped forward, hoping that the hand would tell me something! But to my surprise, it simply grabbed my left wrist with all its might.

Ouch! I jerked my hand back, but several bloody scratches had already appeared on my wrist! Was this what she wanted to tell me? Or was it an unconscious act?

"What is she trying to tell you?" Fang Lei asked.

"I don't know! That's strange!" I helplessly shrugged at Fang Lei and the others.

"You guys better think of a way to get out of here!" Ah Bao kicked and kicked, but he couldn't shake off those damned ghostly figures.

"No one can shut it off!" Suddenly a familiar voice rang out, and a phantom figure slowly materialized before us. It was... Bai Yun!

"Baiyun!" I cried out in alarm. Shouldn't she be dead already? Is she a ghost?

"Please call me Yun'er. Baiyun is just a copy of me!" Yun'er smiled and said, "You have already taken Bai Ling and Zhao Xing's souls. So the seal they placed on me has been lifted. Thank you!"

"So you are the true guardian of the seal? Can you help close this gate of hell?" Fang Lei asked.

“No one can close it,” Yun’er said. “This is beyond the capabilities of the human realm.”

"What can we do?" Fang Lei asked anxiously, her voice trembling slightly. But I didn't seem to care whether the gates of hell could be closed. I just had so many questions to ask her, but at that moment, I didn't know where to begin.

"Little friend, do you have a lot of questions to ask?" Yun'er asked with a smile.

"Little kid?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I've lived for thousands of years, so calling you 'little one' isn't an exaggeration," Yun'er said slowly. "A goddess always has a personal maid by her side. And I am her personal maid, and also a member of the Moonshadow Clan!"

Is Yun'er a member of the Moonshadow Clan? No, just now she was said to be her personal maid.

“The goddess’s personal maid is chosen from among the women of the Moonshadow Clan in each generation, just like your Spirit Clan! In every generation, a man will become the goddess’s husband!” Yun’er’s words surprised us all. We never expected that the Spirit Clan would have such a hidden identity! What surprised us even more was that the goddess also had to get married?

"The goddesses protected by the four ancient races are actually just substitutes for goddesses in the human world, that is, saintesses. Although saintesses live longer than ordinary people, they are not immortal! Therefore, they must marry men to reproduce and ensure the continuation of their bloodline. The four ancient races are four races with specific roles guarding the saintesses. The Moro race is skilled in medicine and elixirs. They are the saintesses' doctors, teaching humans medicine and other skills. The Moonshadow race is skilled in art, sculpture, and architecture. They are the saintesses' attendants, teaching humans art and handicrafts. The Yana race are natural warriors, serving as the saintesses' warriors and teaching humans fighting techniques and tactics. The Spirit race is skilled in hypnosis and astrology, serving as the saintesses' prophets and, moreover, the only candidates for husbands," Yun'er said.

"If the Holy Maiden is so powerful, why hasn't history mentioned her?" Abao suddenly interjected and asked.

"He who obtains the Holy Maiden will rule the world! This saying was known to almost every child before the Qin Dynasty, but after the Qin Dynasty, all matters concerning the Holy Maiden and the four ancient tribes disappeared. As for the reason, I think you should know about Qin Shi Huang's burning of books and burying of scholars, and his unification of writing and pronunciation!"

"What? You mean the matter concerning the Holy Maiden was erased because of these things?" Li Yang shouted.

“Another reason is that the Holy Maiden also decided to withdraw from people’s sight and hide behind the scenes.” Yun’er explained, “However, I don’t know the specific reason, because I am a member of the Moon Shadow Clan born in the Tang Dynasty.”

"Then where is the Holy Maiden now?" I asked hastily.

"Love truly drives people mad, doesn't it?" Yun'er didn't answer my question, but instead uttered this seemingly random statement. Then she murmured, "I used to think the Holy Maiden was foolish, but since meeting him, I've realized that love doesn't care how many years you've lived, how high your position is, or whether you're a mortal or a Holy Maiden—it's all the same! So, Lin Xiao, there are some things I can't tell you; you need to find the answers yourself! I've always wondered, why? Why am I the one guarding this seal? Perhaps heaven made me endure thousands of years before I met him, suffered calamities, and experienced certain things with your companions, to find the answers in your own hearts." Yun'er looked up at the Ghost Gate, then at Jiang Xiaohui and the other two, and said, "Time is running out; I have to go."

"Go? Where are you going? I still have many questions..." I wanted to go forward, but I found that my body could not move.

“I’ve said it before, no human can close the gates of hell! Only a soul can! Use the ghost of a person with magic as the bolt to lock the gates of hell again. That’s how you close them!” Yun’er’s body slowly floated upwards, and the ghostly figures that had been surging and churning on the ground suddenly fell silent, as if they knew they were about to return to where they belonged.

"Then what about the seal you're supposed to protect?" Fang Lei asked.

“I am no longer needed!” Yun’er shook her head and said, “The soul of the Yana princess has been sealed in Lin Xiao’s ring, and you will protect it in my place!”

"Then at least tell me the cause of Baiyun's death! And who was the person who told Zhao Xing and the others about the Big Dipper Formation!" I asked Yun'er, who was now emitting golden light.

“I think Bai Yun was sent by Bai Ling to find the Moon Shadow Clan. Since there were no Moro Clan members to sacrifice for this formation, she, also a member of the Moon Shadow Clan, was sent to bring back a sacrifice. Unexpectedly, Bai Yun lost her life and didn't bring back any Moon Shadow Clan members to sacrifice. Naturally, the formation couldn't be continued. It's a pity, though. I really don't know who the person who told them about the formation was! But it should have been him who told Zhao Xing's father the method to seal me, which is why my physical body was sealed in that air-raid shelter.” Yun'er shook her head regretfully.

"You don't know either? Then how am I supposed to find them? In this vast sea of people, someone who appeared fifty years ago!"

As the golden light emanating from Yun'er grew stronger, the shadows on the ground gradually surged back into the crack in the door like a receding tide. Then, the souls of Jiang Xiaohui and the other two also entangled themselves in the crack, followed by countless souls with illusory bodies—some familiar to us who had died in the Big Dipper Formation, others we didn't recognize. They all rose from beneath the floor and returned to the crack in the door.

Finally, after all the ghosts seemed to have returned to their original world, a black figure slowly emerged from under the floor! It was Zhao Hui, the one who had been searching for help to save his classmate in the air-raid shelter, thinking he was still alive!

"Yun'er! I've finally seen you again!" Zhao Hui didn't rush back, but stood in front of Yun'er and said happily.

"Thank you for never giving up on saving me!" Yun'er said with a smile, "You and your brother are completely different people!"

“No! My brother loves you too, really, otherwise he wouldn’t have been eaten by the wall with you!” Zhao Hui said sincerely.

"Really? He loves me?" A hint of confusion and heartache flashed in Yun'er's eyes, but she immediately smiled and said, "It doesn't matter whether he loves me or not! At least I loved him, and that's enough! Thank you!"

Zhao Hui didn't say anything this time, but quietly walked to the back of the door! Seeing that the last ghost had gone back, Yun'er's body began to slowly disappear, first her lower body, turning into countless golden light particles.

"Remember, the answer has always been in your hearts." These were Yun'er's last words. After saying that, she completely disappeared, turning into a golden light that streaked towards the Gate of Hell. Just as the Gate of Hell was slowly closing, she transformed into a golden lock and re-fastened it to the Gate of Hell!

Answer……

I looked up at the slowly disappearing gate of hell, and what answer lay in my heart...? Perhaps, like this tightly closed gate, it was forever sealed within my heart...

Book 4, Chapter 1: The Midsummer Night's Car Accident

Book 4, Chapter 1: The Midsummer Night's Car Accident

On a midsummer night, sweat soaked through Lao Liu's undershirt.

Old Liu is a freight truck driver. In order to deliver goods to their destinations on time, truck drivers like him usually have to drive all night, sometimes even driving non-stop for 24 hours while fatigued. Rubbing his throbbing eyes, Old Liu forced himself to focus on the road ahead. However, driving at night is always difficult, so Old Liu tried his best to be careful.

I wonder what kind of treasure they're hauling this time! The boss didn't even give us the key to the truck's cargo door, saying it would be delivered to the recipient and they would open the door to inspect the goods themselves!

Could it be some kind of contraband? Maybe drugs? Heroin? Old Liu curled his lip. If it weren't for the fact that this trip cost three times the usual amount, he wouldn't be in such a hurry. But he was genuinely curious about what was inside.

Just then, he suddenly saw something on the dark road ahead, but upon closer inspection, there was nothing there. It looked like a human figure. Old Liu steadied himself, warning himself not to speculate about what was behind him and to focus on getting on his way.

Just then, a strange sound came from behind, coming from inside the cargo compartment. Old Liu tensed up; it was a very strange sound, like something was being cooked.

Hallucination? In a panic, Old Liu turned on the radio, hoping to listen to a late-night program to perk himself up, but as soon as the radio was turned on, it also emitted this strange sound.

"Damn it." Old Liu quickly turned the radio off again. His heart was pounding. He suddenly thought of his daughter, looked up, and suddenly saw a figure reflected in the rearview mirror, a shadow right next to him.

Instinctively turning his head, Old Liu's vision blurred as a naked, humanoid figure sat upright beside him. It had no facial features, no hair, not even fingernails or genitals. Only ghastly, almost transparent, deathly skin revealed winding black veins. This terrified Old Liu. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his car crashing into a large tree by the roadside.

Screech! In his terror, Old Liu was unable to think clearly. Before he could even apply the brakes, the tree was already right in front of him.

With a loud bang, the truck crashed solidly into it.

The phone suddenly rang in my ear, startling me awake. I opened my eyes and saw Fang Lei sleeping next to me.

Ever since returning from my alma mater, I've been suffering from insomnia, leaving me completely listless during the day. Fang Lei couldn't bear to see me like this anymore and finally let me move in with her. She could take care of my needs and help me sleep peacefully every night. Although I left a note for my sister, it seems she hasn't returned, and the note has just been lying on the table.

"Who is it?" Fang Lei was also woken up. She asked, "Could it be Li Yang again?"

Ever since Li Yang found out that Fang Lei and I were living together, he's been calling me late at night, saying he's going to ruin our "private time." I'm speechless; I really don't know what's going on in his head.

"No, it's Xiao Ren." I sat up straight; it seemed I wouldn't be getting any sleep tonight.

"Oh?" Fang Lei knew that any phone call from Xiao Ren was never a good thing, so she sat up helplessly.

"Hello? Xiao Ren, what case is it?" I answered the phone. "It's on Dongfeng Avenue near Sijing Road, you guys need to come quickly." Xiao Ren said, then hung up the phone without telling me anything about the case.

"There's a case, they want us to go together." I got up and started getting dressed.

"What case?" Fang Lei jumped out of bed and asked.

"I don't know, Xiao Ren hung up without saying anything." I quickly put on my clothes and said, "Let's go quickly."

"Okay." Fang Lei nodded in agreement.

When I arrived, police cars were already there. A truck's front end was deeply embedded in a large tree, its windshield shattered. The front of the truck was completely mangled, and blood was everywhere. It seemed the driver was unlikely to survive.

But... this should just be an efficiency-related accident, right? Do I and Fang Lei really need to get involved?

"You've arrived!" Xiao Ren greeted them.

I pointed at the truck and asked, "What happened?"

"It seems the driver was fatigued and crashed into a tree. The driver died on the way to the hospital," Xiao Ren replied.

"So you called us over in the middle of the night just because of this traffic accident?" I asked helplessly.

"Of course not." Xiao Ren rolled her eyes at me, then led us to the back of the truck. Because it was dark, I couldn't see anything special.

Xiao Ren turned on his flashlight and shone it under the cargo compartment door. He saw bright red blood slowly seeping out from the door, dripping onto the ground. It was a dark red that was almost black, and the blood seemed very viscous.

Fang Lei and I exchanged a glance, and then we both sighed in unison. It seemed we really couldn't expect to sleep tonight.

"Has it been opened?" I asked.