The Great Creator Chapter 7 - Take the Priest with you

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"Are you alright, Knight?"

Long Jian Lu remained silent for a long time.

"Hey," Yao Guang asked, "What's the matter? Is this news really that shocking?"

"I'm fine," Long Jian Lu finally replied.

"I don't understand," Yao Guang continued. "Are abilities ranked by their numbers? Is Number 2's force field power that strong?"

Long Jian Lu responded, "Number 2, 'Xing Wu,' has control over all force fields. For example, he can lift heavy objects, make them fly at high speed, create collisions, or move objects from a distance—things like that."

As they left the snowy plains, Yao Guang finally felt a bit better. He was still wearing Long Jian Lu’s trench coat, while Long Jian Lu, hatless, was flying at top speed, crouched forward in just his white shirt, focused on controlling the motorcycle.

"A force field can be a devastating ability," Long Jian Lu explained.

"Is there an almost insurmountable gap between each rank?" Yao Guang asked, recalling how Long Jian Lu had subdued Liao Jia in a single instant. "If you faced Number 2, would it be dangerous?"

"Abilities aren’t assigned in order," Long Jian Lu replied, glancing over. "The rankings are simply evaluations made by the genetic computer for the superhumans. Actually, when abilities are ranked close together, a fight is still possible. The key is how you use your power. Different abilities counter one another, too. My power, for instance, counters anything mechanical—including my weapons and allies."

To Yao Guang, Long Jian Lu’s powers seemed almost otherworldly. Though their impact on the environment was limited, at critical moments, he could create brief, intense suppression. Any living being, made of flesh and blood, would instinctively fear a blade aimed at their heart, especially with time slowed down. Even mechanical beings couldn’t withstand such a razor-sharp strike that altered the flow of time.

"Any more prophecies?" Long Jian Lu asked.

"Not for now," Yao Guang replied.

They eventually reached a grassy plain under a bright sun. As the temperature rose, Yao Guang could see dark storm clouds looming on the horizon, forming a distinct boundary.

"Is your ‘wife’ almost out of fuel?" Yao Guang asked, noticing the energy gauge.

"It’ll last a bit longer," Long Jian Lu said. "We’re about to enter a dense rain zone. I’ll lower our altitude to avoid lightning strikes."

Although Long Jian Lu could slow time, lightning’s speed was in milliseconds. In a storm with continuous strikes, they would still be at risk, especially since their motorcycle—a metallic machine—could act like a lightning rod.

"Hold on to me to reduce wind resistance. We’ll go a bit faster this way," Long Jian Lu said, glancing back. "Hopefully, we’ll reach the Marshland Shelter before we run out of energy."

The motorcycle accelerated, hurtling into the dense rain zone as thunder rumbled overhead and lightning connected sky and earth. Rain poured down, drenching them completely. Pressed low against the motorcycle, Long Jian Lu’s body was almost merged with it, with Yao Guang clinging tightly to his back.

The sleek motorcycle looked like a silver torpedo, reflecting occasional lightning flashes as it skimmed just twenty centimeters above the ground, trailing a white spray as it sped into the marshlands.

The rain made the temperature drop.

Even though Long Jian Lu's thin shirt was soaked through, Yao Guang could feel his searing body heat radiating through the damp fabric, their skin almost pressed together.

"We’re almost there!" Long Jian Lu shouted over the wind. "See?"

Yao Guang raised his head slightly and saw, through the storm and flashes of lightning, a vast lake stretching like an ocean. At its center lay a massive island with tall buildings and a towering lightning rod in the middle, drawing in lightning strikes. Electromagnetic cannons lined the perimeter, guarding the island.

"This place really is a natural shelter," Yao Guang remarked. "They picked a good spot."

As they neared the lake’s shore, the motorcycle slowed, and the energy indicator began flashing. Long Jian Lu pressed another button, causing the motorcycle to halt on the water’s surface, deploying a base that transformed it into a makeshift boat. With the last bit of energy, they drifted along the edge of the lake.

"Any prophecies?" Long Jian Lu asked.

"No," Yao Guang replied. "They don’t know you're coming. Number 2 is completely unprepared."

Long Jian Lu nodded. "Yes, even the Tree doesn’t know where the 'Priest' is."

"But Number 2 does know where the Priest is," Yao Guang pointed out. "He’s always been cautious. You could even say he’s been mentally preparing to handle your sudden appearance for years."

It sounded contradictory, but Long Jian Lu understood.

"I don’t plan to confront him head-on," Long Jian Lu said. "I once stayed at the Marshland Shelter, so I’m somewhat familiar with the terrain here."

The island loomed like a towering kingdom, isolated from the outside world, a self-contained little universe.

But instead of heading straight for the island, Long Jian Lu guided the motorcycle across half the lake, arriving at a rocky outcrop on the outskirts.

"There’s a natural flood channel here," he said. "Not easy to spot."

He parked the motorcycle by a waterfall, surveyed the surroundings, and then said, "Let’s go."

Behind the waterfall was a slick, damp cave with a shallow stream flowing along the floor. Long Jian Lu slung his bag over his shoulder, turned on a light, and signaled for Yao Guang to follow as they proceeded through the dark, winding passage.

"Any prophecy on where the Priest is being held?"

"No prophecy," Yao Guang replied. "We’ll assess the situation once we’re inside. Are we sneaking in like this? No guards?"

"Sometimes there’s a patrol, but as long as we keep quiet, it shouldn’t be a problem," Long Jian Lu reassured him.

Long Jian Lu and Yao Guang slipped past the two workers and continued forward until they reached the end of the drainage passage, where a sturdy iron gate stood, unlocked due to a routine inspection.

"Any prophecy now?"

"Nope," Yao Guang replied. "Stop relying on my prophecies all the time! Are we really sneaking in like this? Security here seems pretty lax. What's next?"

Long Jian Lu pushed open the gate, revealing stone-lined water channels around them, with water flowing into the passage. "Follow me."

Above the passage was a small break room for workers. Long Jian Lu opened the door, where several sets of washed worker coveralls were hanging.

"Change clothes," Long Jian Lu instructed.

Yao Guang, still soaked, took the towel Long Jian Lu handed him, drying off. They both put on coveralls, and Long Jian Lu stashed his backpack in a corner, covering it with some junk, taking only two weapons with him. He glanced in the mirror and slicked back his wet hair.

"Do you think I’m recognizable like this?" he asked.

"Uh," Yao Guang said, "depends on if there's a wanted poster of you or not. Not sure."

Long Jian Lu found a pair of glasses, lightly prescribed, and popped out the lenses before putting on the rimless frames. "How about now?"

"Looks a bit different," Yao Guang said.

"Let’s go." They blended into the crowds of the Marshland Shelter.

The shelter was built on massive stone foundations, its maze of stone-paved passageways stretching in every direction. Dressed as workers, they blended in as if they were off-duty repairmen, moving among the people unnoticed.

“The Marshland Shelter houses four million people,” Long Jian Lu said. “It’s the most successful of the shelters.”

This was practically a small city. From the outside, Yao Guang had seen it as a compact island city, but now he realized just how vast it really was.

The commercial area alone, catering to millions, was fully equipped, a kind of paradise hidden from the outside world.

"We might need a ladder—posing as repairmen could help us slip into the central area," Long Jian Lu suggested.

"We might need food first," Yao Guang said. "I haven’t eaten in nearly twelve hours."

"Ah, sorry," Long Jian Lu said. "I wasn’t hungry, so I assumed you weren't either."

Yao Guang gave him a dry look. "Now I understand why no one wants to travel with you. You’re hopeless at taking care of people."

"My mistake. Let’s get you something to eat."

They headed to the commercial area, where Long Jian Lu bought two hot dogs with an unknown type of meat. Hungry, Yao Guang ate as they walked, while Long Jian Lu lingered by a shop displaying a new model of motorcycle engine, clearly interested.

"I'm curious," Yao Guang asked between bites, "your ‘wife’ only fits two people, right?"

Long Jian Lu: "?"

Yao Guang: "So once we find the Priest, how are we supposed to get away?"

Long Jian Lu: "Let’s deal with that when we get there. Nothing’s certain yet."

Yao Guang: "There’s no way we’re fitting three people on it, right?"

Long Jian Lu hesitated. "Uh…"

It was definitely a problem; he couldn’t add a sidecar right now, and the bike would need recharging soon, so he’d have to look for a charging station.

He bought an energy canister and stowed it in his bag. The sun was setting as the workers of Marshland Shelter finished for the day, and the streetlights came on.

"There’s no curfew?" Yao Guang asked.

"Not until eleven. We'll wait until lights out to move—it’ll make it harder to spot us." Clearly familiar with the area, Long Jian Lu led them through a park with a fountain surrounded by decorative lights and the sound of violins playing nearby.

Marshland Shelter was like another world compared to the Dune Shelter; the quality of life depended greatly on resources and who governed. People here dressed better—young men wore athletic clothes, girls in dresses—and some couples were even dating on park benches in the warm evening air after the rain.

Long Jian Lu and Yao Guang sat on a bench, waiting for curfew. As their goal drew closer, Long Jian Lu grew visibly tense yet excited, and he was chatting more than usual.

“What do we look like?” Long Jian Lu noticed a few people glancing their way as they passed.

Yao Guang was focused on trying to get a prophecy. “What?”

“Do we look like a couple?” Long Jian Lu threw his arm around Yao Guang’s shoulders with a playful smirk.

Yao Guang: “!!”

Before Yao Guang could protest, a patrolling guard approached, eyeing them curiously. Long Jian Lu leaned in as if to kiss him, causing the guard to decide not to interrupt.

Of course, he didn’t actually kiss him. Once the guard had passed, Long Jian Lu pulled back, patting Yao Guang’s cheek lightly before glancing off into the distance.

Long Jian Lu was, admittedly, incredibly handsome. Even in workwear, his striking features—his strong brows, expressive eyes—left quite an impression on Yao Guang, especially when they were this close. Both being men, the almost invasive tension of the moment, combined with the strange intimacy, made Yao Guang’s heart race.

"Are there… same-sex couples in this world too?"

"Of course. Even the Knights had some," Long Jian Lu replied, looking up at a castle-like building in the distance where Number 2 lived. He started making notes in his notebook. "Doesn’t your memory include that concept?"

Yao Guang replied, "I never paid much attention to it, uh—wait…"

Long Jian Lu explained, “Sexual orientation can be fluid, especially in gender-imbalanced environments.”

Something faintly clicked in Yao Guang’s memory.

“Is the gender ratio really that skewed now?” he asked.

"Yes," Long Jian Lu answered. "Some weapons from the wars caused chromosomal damage, and in specific social roles, relationships or family-building have become harder. Didn’t you notice? Especially in labor, maintenance, and combat—many men end up pairing up."

The topic left Yao Guang a bit rattled. He tried to play it cool but studied Long Jian Lu suspiciously. "You’re not saying that you…”

"I’m open to anyone attractive,” Long Jian Lu said absent-mindedly as he finished writing in his notebook. “What? Want to have a forbidden romance with big brother? Offer good till midnight.”

“Get lost!” Yao Guang shot back.

As the time approached, Long Jian Lu grinned, stood up, and led them to the park’s open space. Without a word, he extended his hand, still wearing his signature black gloves even with the coveralls.

Puzzled, Yao Guang took his hand, and Long Jian Lu pulled him close, almost into his arms.

Music played on. Long Jian Lu began to dance with him in the park.

"This is so embarrassing!” Yao Guang complained.

“There’s no one around,” Long Jian Lu laughed, studying Yao Guang’s expression. “Can you dance?”

“Where did you learn to dance?” Yao Guang asked, intrigued.

Long Jian Lu: “Not sure. Maybe I was born with it?”

Yao Guang: “Who’s born knowing how to waltz?”

“You know how to dance, too,” Long Jian Lu said.

“Did I… learn it somewhere?” Yao Guang’s hazy memories began to clear. “I think it was back in school. Did I go to school? Yes, I must have. So that means…”

Yao Guang looked at Long Jian Lu. Their waltz steps were perfectly in sync, as if they’d been dance partners for years. How could that be? New questions arose in his mind: the unspoken harmony between them, the seamless coordination… and Long Jian Lu’s gaze, which could easily enchant anyone.

Could he be wishing that the one dancing with him right now was the Priest?

“Wait,” Yao Guang suddenly said, “I just got a prophecy.”

Just as he spoke, a chime echoed from the distant building up high—the city’s clock tower. As the bells struck, the lights across the entire city began to go out, one section at a time, moving inwards toward the castle. By the eleventh chime, the lights had completely shut off, leaving only the starlight in the long, dark night.

“The Priest is in that castle,” Yao Guang said, looking up.

“Let’s go.” Holding Yao Guang’s hand, Long Jian Lu led him to the castle’s side entrance, a small passage for guards.

“Doesn’t Number 2 have surveillance here?” Yao Guang asked.

“There’s some, but not much,” Long Jian Lu whispered back from the shadows. “He thinks he’s managed the shelter well enough that no one would rebel, unlike Liao Jia, who always kept his eyes glued to the cameras.”

“Seems like he’s right,” Yao Guang replied.

At the side door, they saw it was still partly open while the guards changed shifts. Long Jian Lu whistled softly to distract them, and as the four guards turned their heads, he activated his ability, becoming a shadow and slipping past them with Yao Guang in tow.

Nearly no one could spot Long Jian Lu’s figure—he was simply too fast, moving beyond what the human eye could capture. In sunlight, perhaps a faint blur might be visible, but at night, he could remain practically invisible.

“You really know this place well.”

“That’s because I’ve lived here,” Long Jian Lu murmured. “I spent a long time in the Marshland Shelter gathering information on the Priest. I never expected he’d be here all along, so close by.”

“Is Number 2 a friend of yours?” Yao Guang asked.

“Yes.” They entered a long corridor, and Long Jian Lu led them to a terrace halfway up the mountainside. “When Number 1 died, Xing Wu took over as leader in the fight against the ‘Tree.’ He was the deputy commander and leader of the Guardians. He’s the one who ordered the disbanding of the Knights.”

“So he’s been lying to you all along,” Yao Guang said. “He’s known the Priest’s whereabouts the whole time.”

Long Jian Lu didn’t respond, just kept leading Yao Guang forward.

Yao Guang continued, “Tonight, he’s going to see the Priest. If we follow him, we’ll find out where the Priest is.”

“Why?” Long Jian Lu asked.

“Because he just learned of Liao Jia’s death.”

Long Jian Lu added, “And there’s one more reason—you’re here.”

Yao Guang nodded. The prophecy was clear: Liao Jia had chosen to abandon everything, uploading his consciousness, while Xing Wu clung to the physical world. Yet, the two seemed to share a strange understanding—a shared desire to control everything under their own rules.

The condition was that neither could lose the authority they’d gained through their superpowers.

“But what I don’t understand,” Long Jian Lu admitted, now fully trusting Yao Guang’s prophecies, “is why he’s doing this.”

Yao Guang explained, “First, he believes he can protect the people here by resisting any changes. If you find the Priest, you’d likely ask all the shelters to join forces in a final battle against the Tree. He’s tasted defeat once and doesn’t want to take that risk again.”

“Second, if the Tree are shut down—although it’s too early to say—more people would gain access to genetic modification technology from the servers. Then, everyone could undergo the enhancements, and he’d lose his current status.”

Perhaps, in the beginning, Xing Wu genuinely wanted to save everyone, but over time, power had corrupted him. Now, he seemed satisfied with things as they were. And as for why he helped Long Jian Lu search for the Priest? It was simple—they both believed Long Jian Lu would never actually succeed.

Now, however, Liao Jia’s death had reminded Xing Wu of the unpredictable factor by Long Jian Lu’s side: Yao Guang. This would inevitably make him more cautious.

“The Tree may not even know Xing Wu hid the Priest,” Yao Guang said. “It sounds convoluted, but after losing the last war, they all came to a kind of truce. The Tree probably think that, in time, they can either kill all humans, or that humanity will eventually self-destruct, generation after generation.”

Leaning against the terrace railing, Long Jian Lu replied, “Good. You’re beginning to understand what the Guardians are really like.”

He looked at Yao Guang with a meaningful gaze.

In that look, Yao Guang could sense the profound loneliness in what Long Jian Lu was doing.

“You’ve been at this alone for so long,” Yao Guang said, wanting to offer at least a small comfort, however belated.

“But I have you with me now, don’t I?” Long Jian Lu smiled. “Prophet, you don’t realize your own strength—Xing Wu wouldn’t stand a chance against you.”

“Don’t jinx it,” Yao Guang warned.

Just then, they heard footsteps above them, followed by the metallic creaking of an iron staircase rotating slowly, likely on a hydraulic system.

Standing atop the staircase was Xing Wu!

He was tall and powerfully built, with broad shoulders and long arms. As he raised his hand, Yao Guang saw his power activate in the dim light.

The hallway shifted, realigning itself as if he were a spatial magician, and Xing Wu walked straight through the reshaped corridor, traversing the maze-like castle with ease.

Long Jian Lu grabbed Yao Guang’s hand, turning them both into a blur as they followed close behind.

On Xing Wu’s path, doors opened automatically, and walls revealed hidden entrances with just a wave of his hand. He moved like a sorcerer, stepping onto a terrace, where a flick of his left hand caused the stones to part, creating an entrance that sealed up behind him.

They almost found their path blocked by stone, but Long Jian Lu’s control over time allowed him to maneuver them just past it, his arm around Yao Guang as they slipped through before the wall closed again.

Xing Wu paused, turning to inspect the stone wall, sensing something unusual.

Everything had returned to normal, though, and Yao Guang held his breath as he and Long Jian Lu hid atop a stone beam in the ceiling, tensely watching Xing Wu.

Xing Wu hesitated briefly, but then continued forward.

At the next moment, a heavy iron door opened before him.

“What do you want this time?” A man’s voice questioned from within the cell.

Yao Guang leaned close to Long Jian Lu’s ear and whispered softly, “That’s him—that’s the Priest.”

“I thought you said it was a woman?”

“Uh…” Yao Guang admitted, “I assumed wrong. My one and only prophecy mistake. You can still trust me.”

Long Jian Lu squeezed Yao Guang’s hand slightly, indicating he understood.

Footsteps echoed, and then Xing Wu’s voice, low and slightly hoarse, could be heard.

“I need a favor,” Xing Wu said. “Someone is looking for you outside. I can’t keep protecting you like this.”

“You call this protection?” the voice in the cell replied angrily. “Dragging me here to your shelter, locking me away from the world—is that what you call protection?”

“If the killers get to you,” Xing Wu’s voice replied grimly, “do you really think they won’t kill you on the spot?”

The Priest fell silent, clearly conceding Xing Wu’s point.

“Now,” Xing Wu continued, “I need you to kill someone for me. Almost no one else in the world can pull this off, but I know you can. Do this, and from the moment he dies, you’ll truly be free. You can go anywhere you want. You could even stay here at the Marshland Shelter if you like—I won’t restrict your movements anymore.”

Silence filled the cell.

“What do you need me to do?” the Priest’s voice finally asked.

Yao Guang glanced at Long Jian Lu, whose expression darkened as he watched the iron door intently.

The voices stopped. It seemed Xing Wu had shown the Priest something and was now waiting for his response.

“Think about it carefully,” Xing Wu said.

“How will I find this person?” the Priest asked.

Xing Wu replied, “I’ll arrange for you to be taken to a specific location in secret. He’ll come looking for you when the time is right.”

With that, Xing Wu said no more, opened the iron door, walked back through the hallway, and departed.

“Wait…” Yao Guang sensed that Long Jian Lu could barely restrain his emotions anymore. “Wait!”

But Long Jian Lu had already leaped down from the beam, hurrying to the iron door. His hand trembled as he pushed it open.

A warm light spilled out from inside, while Yao Guang held onto the beam, too nervous to shout. “At least let me down first…”

But Long Jian Lu no longer heard Yao Guang’s voice.

The room was luxurious yet comfortable. The Priest, thinking that Xing Wu had returned, looked toward the door with surprise.

“Who are you?”

A frail young man with curly hair, dressed in loose white clothing, sat on a sofa. The room was filled with books and personal belongings, with a balcony to one side where starlight spilled in from outside.

Long Jian Lu, in his work uniform, stood there, staring at him, frozen as he entered the room.

“What do you want?” the young man asked warily, eyeing Long Jian Lu. “Get out! Or I’ll call for the guards!”

Long Jian Lu’s voice shook. “Priest, I’m here to rescue you.”

“You’re…” The Priest seemed to understand, saying, “You’re Number 3? The Great Knight?”

Long Jian Lu stepped forward and knelt on one knee, pressing his left hand over his right shoulder in a formal salute. “Priest, I’m here to take you away—to save this world from being destroyed by the Tree.”

The Priest’s eyes filled with shock and doubt as he slowly stood up.

Long Jian Lu continued, “I’ve been looking for you all these years.”

Yao Guang clung to the beam, wanting to jump down, but it was too high—a reckless leap would break his legs. Eventually, he shouted in frustration, “Prophecy! Xing Wu is coming back!”

Long Jian Lu turned, and down the hall, the stone wall at the end cracked open and crumbled as Xing Wu re-entered the corridor.

“It seemed odd to me, so I came back to check,” Xing Wu said. “Old friend, here so soon? Why didn’t you stop by for a chat first?”

Long Jian Lu stood between the Priest and Xing Wu, staring intently. “Number 2, how long have you kept this from me?”

"Put down that foolish mission of yours," Xing Wu said. "The world isn’t what it used to be. Is there really still a point to all this?"

Long Jian Lu drew his knife silently, eyes fixed on Xing Wu’s hand.

“Number 2, Number 3—don’t fight here!” The Priest’s face went pale.

“Can someone at least help me get down from here?!” Yao Guang was still sitting on the beam, shouting loudly.

Xing Wu’s attention was drawn up, surprised to find someone else here. In that split second, Long Jian Lu flashed forward as a shadow, his blade aiming directly for Xing Wu’s throat.

But Xing Wu was quick, too. Stones shot up, intercepting Long Jian Lu’s blade in half a second.

Yao Guang and the Priest watched in a blur as the entire corridor collapsed. Xing Wu floated into the air, pulling large stones from the castle’s eastern side as the earth shook and hurled them toward Long Jian Lu. To Long Jian Lu, the stones seemed to move at a sluggish pace, like meteors, as he leapt from one to another, steadily closing the distance to Xing Wu.

But Xing Wu gave him no chance to come closer. In mid-air, he summoned rocks from the ground, pulling beams from the walls, one of which zipped from beneath Yao Guang, sending him plummeting to the floor with a shout.

“Stop watching and find somewhere to hide!” Yao Guang shouted to the Priest.

“And who are you?” the Priest asked, confused.

Yao Guang grabbed the Priest’s hand, pulling him toward shelter as Long Jian Lu continued leaping through the air, closing in on Xing Wu amidst the flying rocks.

“This place is going to collapse!” Yao Guang shouted to the sky. “Take him out of here! Don’t fight here!”

Long Jian Lu soared high into the air as Xing Wu climbed higher, and in the next instant, all the rocks plunged to the ground with a deafening crash.

Long Jian Lu’s pupils contracted—without anything to leap from, he fell from a height of nearly forty meters.

Yao Guang, holding onto the Priest, scrambled out of the crumbling castle. He grabbed a book and flung it with all his might toward the falling figure. “Over here!” he yelled.

Long Jian Lu’s descent sped up, but in that instant, he landed on the book Yao Guang had thrown, pivoted, and launched himself outward toward the lake beyond the island.

The whole of the Marshland Shelter awoke to the sound of thunderous crashing, with everyone rushing out of their homes to look up at the sky.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Yao Guang led the Priest out of the castle and into the open area of the park.

In the sky, Xing Wu floated like a god looking down on mortals.

“Long Jian Lu, Great Knight,” he declared. “Dr. Shan’s mission for each of us is over! The new era has begun!”

Xing Wu moved toward the lake, summoning a monstrous wave. With a mere hand gesture, he lifted thousands of tons of water, forming a roaring tidal wave that spiraled through the air.

The duel between Number 2 and Number 3 was a battle of legends. Onlookers screamed in terror, fearing that the lake water would crash down and flood the entire Marshland Shelter.

But then another voice rang out from above.

“Not yet!” Long Jian Lu roared, “You traitor who betrayed his brothers!”

A flash of light appeared as Long Jian Lu, riding his high-speed flying motorcycle, shot from the lakeshore, rocketing toward Xing Wu. Mid-flight, he abandoned the bike and drew his short blade, reaching Xing Wu in an instant.

The water surged as Xing Wu arched backward, a fresh wound slashed across his chest.

Time resumed its flow, and in a split second, the massive wave crashed down toward the Marshland Shelter. Xing Wu and Long Jian Lu plunged to the ground with it.

Yao Guang, dazed and disoriented, was swept along by the flood, grasping something tightly, then being wrenched free as the water receded.

Silence returned. Wet and battered, Yao Guang got to his feet, calling out, “Long Jian Lu!”

But his body refused to obey him as he rose, suspended inches off the ground.

Xing Wu, clutching his chest wound, had appeared beside him.

“What are you?” Xing Wu asked.

Yao Guang didn’t answer. Xing Wu glanced around, unable to spot Long Jian Lu, while guards poured in from all directions and the Priest was nowhere to be seen.

Xing Wu coughed a few times, then ordered, “Take this kid upstairs. I want a thorough interrogation.”

“Stay back!” Yao Guang shouted, “Long Jian Lu, wherever you are, take the Priest with you and go!”

“You stubborn fool,” Xing Wu muttered. He raised his hand, and a brick hurtled toward Yao Guang, striking him on the back of his head. Everything went dark as Yao Guang slipped into unconsciousness.

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Translated by ELast.