I've finally found a sliver of reception at the Xining railway station in Qinghai, allowing me this update.

I still have a full day and night on the train ahead of me.

“What’s the plan? Quick, tell us! You’re driving me mad!” I urged.

Tang Minghao remained silent, and a sudden, inexplicable wave of agitation washed over me.

I stepped forward and grabbed at him, trying to shake him out of his stupor, to force him to finish the half-sentence he’d left hanging and tell us what to do next.

I truly believed his words carried the will of the divine.

My body meant to lunge forward, but just as my hand brushed Tang Minghao’s shoulder, he unexpectedly flinched away.

Losing my balance, I stumbled forward, catching myself just in time by slamming my hands onto a small square table ahead of me.

On the table sat an incense burner, which tipped over with the jolt, splitting in half, scattering ash all over my face.

I scrambled up, humiliated, when a strange yet intensely venomous voice sliced through the air: “Luo, you have overturned the vessel dedicated to the Gods.

You must pay the price for this!” I jumped violently.

It was terrifying—a completely unknown voice.

Was there another entity present? Was this a demon or a God? I knew knocking over the censer was a dire omen; my legs began to tremble uncontrollably.

The strange voice continued, “You will pay for your transgression with the price of your life.” I frantically searched for the speaker, only to realize the voice was issuing from Tang Minghao’s mouth.

Only his lips were moving, those two thick flaps of flesh resembling a pair of writhing worms.

I looked desperately toward Yanzi, toward Xu Zhiwu, toward everyone in the vicinity.

A deep fear suddenly gripped me: no one here would help me.

I was about to be utterly abandoned.

Tang Minghao commanded coldly, “Bind him.” I watched Yanzi and Xu Zhiwu’s expressions darken as they turned to search for rope.

I hadn't really expected them to help me, but I hadn't anticipated them becoming the Gods’ allies so swiftly.

A wave of sorrow for my own kind washed over me, though the dominant emotion remained sheer terror.

Yanzi actually retrieved a length of rope from a dark corner, meticulously smoothing out each coil.

Despair was almost complete; all my struggling felt futile.

I should simply surrender, yet I still pleaded meekly, “Yanzi, do you truly have not a shred of feeling left for me? We’ve been side-by-side constantly.

Can you really bear to strike me down?” Yanzi replied coldly, “Everyone is selfish.

To survive, we can’t afford sentiment.” I shouted back, “Despicable! You are truly despicable.” Yanzi retorted, “You’re no better.

If I had overturned the censer, you would be just as cruel to me.” I insisted, “I wouldn't.

If you had overturned it, I would still be your ally, bound to you through life and death.” Yanzi laughed loudly.

“Listen, Technician Luo, listen to the tone of your own voice! Even you don’t believe the words tumbling from your mouth.

Didn’t Doctor Ciren, who was just like you, lead the charge in abandoning him?” Heavens, I cried out, “You dare compare me to Doctor Ciren? I was your companion through this entire journey!” Yanzi ignored my cries.

She had straightened the rope, and now she and Xu Zhiwu, each holding an end, closed in on me.

I felt like a lamb being led to slaughter.

I had no retreat, and in truth, I couldn't move anyway, because Tang Minghao was holding a gun, appearing from somewhere unknown.

I was certain that if I didn't yield, he would blow my head off.

I didn't want to die, and I feared death, so I had no choice but to let them bind me.

What would happen next? Would there be any sliver of life left for me? Yanzi pulled the rope tight around me, as if afraid it wouldn't hold.

Xu Zhiwu even kicked me, snarling, “Be still!” How was I being restless? I realized Xu Zhiwu was just trying to show off, acting like a sycophant eager to please his master.

Yanzi clapped her hands and then suddenly knelt before Tang Minghao, her face a mask of piety.

“My noble Master, what punishment does the wicked Luo deserve?” Tang Minghao spoke again, his voice distant and alien: “He destroyed the vessel of the Gods.

The Gods will not forgive him.

He must bleed out all the sinful blood within his body!” Ah, they intended to drain my blood! My face immediately went pale, yet a cold smile touched my heart: “They call themselves Gods, yet they commit the deeds of devils.

Gods are more terrifying than devils because Gods possess hypocrisy.” Tang Minghao continued, “Cut his radial artery and let his blood flow into three bowls.” Yanzi asked, “Is this the ‘Red Water’ then?” Tang Minghao sneered, “This piggish Han blood is hardly worthy of being called Red Water.” Finding some unexpected reservoir of courage, I said, “Fine, I admit my blood is filthy.

Just don’t let my blood flow into bowls—that would be a defilement.” Tang Minghao countered, “But true treasured swords must be consecrated with blood.

These three bowls have not tasted blood for hundreds of years.” Old Li suddenly materialized from somewhere.

I had been searching for him just moments ago, yet he had vanished completely.

“Old Li, Old Li,” I grasped for him like a drowning man clutching straw.

“Save me.

Of all of us, you are the most reasonable.” But Old Li pulled a long, twenty-centimeter knife from behind his back and advanced on me with a sinister grin.

Madness.

All of them, completely insane.

In an instant, they had all been possessed by demons.

Instinctively, I backed into a corner, but there was no escape left.

Yanzi rolled up my sleeve and began slapping my veins, presumably to ensure the blood would flow smoothly and freely from my body.

Tears welled in my eyes, but I didn't know who I was crying for—perhaps for myself.

This, I thought, must be the state of mind just before death.

Suddenly, Yanzi switched to a bewildered tone.

“Before we draw blood, shouldn't we disinfect the wound? We certainly wouldn't want the cut to get infected.” A chill shot down my spine hearing that.

There could be no more horrifying display of humanitarian concern.

At the same time, I noticed Xu Zhiwu’s expression was very strange, like that of a sleepwalker.

Though I’d never seen a sleepwalker, those four words—sleepwalking patient—flashed through my mind.

Wait.

A sudden spark of clarity illuminated my mind.

I had to analyze everything that had just happened, starting from the beginning.

I knocked over the incense ash—the ash drifted into the air—Yanzi, Xu Zhiwu, Old Li, everyone present inhaled the ash—this ash must have been generated from burning incense products, offered by pilgrims in reverence to the Gods, perhaps carrying some form of curse.

Or, perhaps the ash was the residue of hallucinogenic incense, naturally containing components that could cloud human judgment.

That explained why Yanzi and Xu Zhiwu’s true natures were instantly clouded.

For a moment, I felt smug about my own insight, but then my body was plunged into an icy abyss.

Yanzi took the knife from Old Li and advanced menacingly.

Even understanding the truth now, what good was it? My hands and feet were bound; I had absolutely no means of resistance.

In my meager knowledge base, the only way to wake someone drugged was to splash cold water in their face, but I was tied up, and there was no water nearby.

Yanzi approached step by step.

She lifted my hand and brought it close to her eyes.

After her series of thumps, my radial artery had swelled to an astonishing size, resembling thick, writhing earthworms.

A satisfied smile bloomed on Yanzi's face.

Looking at that smile filled me with disgust.

Not long ago, I believed her smile was sweet and kind.

I told myself internally: Forgive Yanzi; she’s just been affected.

She’s like a sleepwalker, completely unaware of what she’s doing.

The song of a dying bird is mournful; the words of a dying man come from the heart.

I found my own change bizarre—I was making excuses for the very person about to murder me.

Just as Yanzi was about to strike, Old Li called out, “Wait!” A surge of hope lifted my heart.

Finally, I thought, someone has regained clarity at the critical moment.

I opened my eyes only to see Old Li scurrying over, carefully placing a bowl beneath my wrist.

“Don’t let the blood spill on the floor.” Yanzi struck.

Though I kept my eyes closed, I felt the sharp blade slice across my skin.

It wasn't the searing pain I expected, but a profound coldness.

The chill spread from the wound throughout my entire body—my heart, every organ.

I felt my blood rush out happily like a small stream.

I knew that in a few minutes, all the blood in my body would be drained.

What would a bloodless body look like? How pale would skin be without its vital fluid! I felt dizzy.

I knew the cause: the blood in my brain was draining rapidly downwards.

My powerful heart ejected this blood from my body with every beat.

I knew consciousness was fading.

I opened my eyes for one last glimpse of this mortal coil I had loved and hated.

I saw Yanzi, her face alight with ecstatic excitement as she stared at the crimson torrent gushing from my wrist.

Old Li was half-kneeling, carefully holding the bowl, his expression solemn and reverent.

Seeing that expression struck me as absurd.

I must have smiled.

I could feel my cracked, pale lips twitch faintly.

What else could it be but a smile? I even suspected the smile originated deep within my soul—an incredible thought.

It seemed I wasn’t the only one driven mad; the victim was experiencing simultaneous neurological breakdown.

Old Li, whom I had always considered my trusted right-hand man, was conspiring with others to use my blood for a divine sacrifice...

But didn’t they know that incestuous blood was required for this ritual? Mine was not.

The first bowl, fashioned from a human skull, quickly filled.

I saw steam rising from the blood, knowing they were moments from boiling, but they would soon turn cold, just like my body.

Old Li skillfully swapped the bowl for another.

He smacked his lips.

“There’s so much blood! Do you think we can fill all three bowls?” Yanzi replied, “We should bet on it.

What do you think, Professor Xu?” Professor Xu sank into contemplation, as he did with every profound philosophical question.

The world was truly absurd.

I closed my eyes, and for the first time, felt a sense of liberation, of having escaped the sea of suffering.