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墨書 Inktalez
Her voice was gentle yet carried an undeniable resolve.
Just as the second knife was about to fall, I wanted to step forward to intervene, but it was futile; I was as invisible as air, unnoticed by anyone.
Blood pooled together, ultimately drying on the vast expanse of white ground.
Another life was lost, and the voices from the Palanquin fell silent. The Tassel swayed in the wind, clashing softly, while her white dress fluttered. As a third person was about to be slaughtered, the Tassel of the Palanquin was suddenly lifted by someone, swaying as if it were about to soar into the heavens.
With a furious expression, the Princess emerged from the Palanquin, her flowing white dress making her appear like a fairy living among mortals. My heart trembled at her presence; I had dreamt of her face countless times over the years.
Seeing her now was both unexpected and astonishing.
I could hardly believe that the person in the Palanquin was Hills, or someone who looked remarkably like her.
In my excitement, I momentarily forgot my own state and called out a few times, but no one responded. The Ritual continued despite the Princess's desperate attempts to stop it; the damned still perished. Just as the third knife was about to descend, the Princess risked her own life to block it. In that instant, the gleaming blade vanished.
I heard one of them say, "Princess, you are merciful."
Everyone stepped back again, and another round of singing and dancing commenced. Finally, another hour passed.
During this time, the Princess stood silently, her long black hair disheveled in the wind, her pale face clean yet sorrowful. It was a tragic war that had nearly drained the entire nation’s strength. The Princess meditated.
I stood not far away, increasingly feeling that this was all too real. It felt as if the Princess was Hills and Hills was the Princess.
Perhaps appearances can deceive, but I believed feelings would never lie.
I moved toward where the Princess stood, joining her in silence. She could not see me, but I could see her; I could sense a wave of sorrow emanating from her at that moment.
The Ritual was meant to pray for the victory of the nation's war, and she was about to become a sacrifice in this conflict.
Her skirt fluttered as a sharp sound echoed through the white expanse of the world.
"Alright, please have the Princess ascend the altar."
As soon as the words were spoken, the Princess walked up onto the Bronze Platform made of stacked wood without any hesitation. She was about to be burned alive; this was a Ritual that demanded a life as its price.
The Princess slowly climbed the makeshift steps leading to the altar.
Seeing everything before me, my heart sank, and I rushed forward, desperate to grab hold of the Princess.
If she reached the altar, there would be no escape. There were ten steps in total. I took my first step up and shouted, "Don't go! If you go up there, you will surely die." Suddenly realizing she couldn't hear me, I frantically reached out to pull her back.
But my hand felt as if it could only grasp at air.
The Princess ascended another step.
A faint metallic scent of blood lingered in the air.
I knew that in this bloody Ritual, I could only bear witness as an observer; I couldn't change anything.
So, with each step the Princess took, I followed. When we reached the tenth step, she suddenly stopped. Time seemed to stretch into eternity in that moment. "You shouldn't have come here," her cold words struck me like a thunderclap.
I felt as if a rift had torn open in the sky.
"Are you speaking to me? Are you Hills?" I shouted.
However, the Princess had no more words. She lay calmly on the Bronze Platform, closing her eyes, and at that moment, she seemed resolute in her silence.
A torrent of information rushed through my mind. As the merciless flames burned, the white world was engulfed by the fiery red. Suddenly, I leaped...
"Damn, Old Sun, you look like you've been scared silly! Standing there drenched in cold sweat!"
I felt as if I had just awakened, hearing Fat Ma's voice.
I hurriedly asked, "Fatty, what just happened here?"
Fat Ma looked at me with a blank expression. "You just got here less than a minute ago; what could have happened?"
Hearing Fat Ma say this, I was taken aback but also surprised. Could it be that I experienced so much in just a minute? I calmed myself; perhaps everything that just occurred was merely an illusion.
Yet that phrase, "You shouldn't have come here," lingered in my mind.
I suddenly blurted out, "I saw Hills just now."
When Fat Ma heard this, he looked at me as if I were a thief. He whispered like a conspirator, "Old Sun, don't be greedy and look at what's in the pot while you're eating from your bowl!"
Uh, Fat Ma misunderstood me.
"I'm serious," I insisted.
Fat Ma stared at me suspiciously and said, "Stop talking nonsense. Old Sun, I was right there with you; how could you see something I didn't?"
I was momentarily speechless and couldn't explain myself, so I had to let it go.
I looked up at the Bronze Giant Gate before me, feeling as if I had already experienced its rise and fall. Perhaps opening this door required a blood Ritual.
I glanced down at the ground; the blood of the person who had been struck by a hidden arrow had already vanished, further solidifying my suspicion.
I took a step forward, then another, when suddenly I was pulled back by Fat Ma's strong arm. He shook his head at me.
I mentioned that I might have a way to open this massive gate.
Fat Ma's eyes widened in disbelief, but he still didn't want me to take the risk. Finally, he said, "Then I'll go with you."
After a brief whispered discussion, I took another step. At this point, I was about a meter away from the crowd, with Fat Ma closely following me.
It was then that everyone realized two more fearless individuals were about to venture forth. For a moment, they all watched with curiosity, but deep down, they secretly hoped we would succeed.
Fat Ma and I moved closer to the Bronze Giant Gate. To say I wasn't afraid would be a lie; it was just that my desire to open the Bronze Giant Gate grew stronger. Perhaps there really were answers here that I sought.
This Ghostly Heavenly Palace might indeed hold the results of my quest.
A chilling wind blew unexpectedly from the bottom of the cliff. By the time Zhang Tong noticed me, I was already nearing the Bronze Giant Gate, which meant I was close to where our first unfortunate companion had met their end.
Zhang Tong hurriedly squeezed through the crowd. Seeing my back without hesitation, he followed me up. When I heard movement behind me, I was genuinely startled; however, upon seeing who it was, a complex mix of emotions stirred within me.
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