altar

Liang An finally realized the predicament he had fallen into—a cult ritual. Zhang Rui was a member of this cult, Zhao Shen had already been killed, and he and Wen Zhi would be the next sacrifices.

The middle-aged man in the elaborate black robe raised his wooden staff and began to chant in an ancient language. The red stones on the platform seemed to glow faintly as he chanted, the dark red light like blood flowing through the veins of stone.

The ceremony lasted about half an hour, during which the cloaked figures sometimes knelt, sometimes raised their hands, and sometimes prostrated themselves on the ground. Liang An tried to struggle, but the ropes binding him were exceptionally strong, and he couldn't move even a centimeter. Wen Zhi seemed to be in worse condition; his face was as pale as paper, and his breathing was rapid, as if he might faint at any moment.

At the end of the ceremony, the middle-aged man dressed in a voluminous black robe pointed his wooden staff to the sky and shouted: "Wash away sins with blood, carry the spirit with your body, and enjoy eternal life!"

"Eternal life! Eternal life! Eternal life!" the believers shouted frantically.

Two strong, cloaked men walked up to the altar. They held sharp ceremonial knives, their blades gleaming coldly in the dim light. They were heading straight for Wen Zhi, but Liang An felt the long-dormant black bracelet on his left wrist suddenly heat up, the temperature burning his skin. Then, as if summoned by a mysterious force, the two cloaked men abruptly stopped and turned to Liang An.

One of them said in a completely emotionless voice, "A pure body is more in line with the will of Heaven."

Liang An's heart sank to the bottom. As he watched the two approach, time seemed to slow down. He could see the subtle glint of light on the knife tip, hear his own heart pounding in his ears like a drum, and feel sweat trickling down his forehead.

They untied Liang An's ropes and lowered him from the cross. His body was still stiff, and Liang An fell directly to the ground, sharp pain shooting through his knees and elbows. The two men roughly lifted him and dragged him to a stone reclining chair at the edge of the altar.

The surface of the recliner was covered with runes similar to those on the ground, and iron rings at both ends secured his hands and feet. Liang An was roughly pressed onto the recliner, his wrists and ankles locked by the iron rings. He lay on his back, able to see the gray sky and a few crows circling overhead.

One of them took out a larger knife with a wide and thick blade, specifically for bloodletting. He stood next to Liang An's head, while another assistant took out a silver container to catch the blood.

"With your blood, I will wash away your sins," the knife-wielder whispered, pointing the tip of the blade at the artery on Liang An's neck.

Liang An closed his eyes, Ling Xiao's face flashing through his mind. He had promised Ling Xiao to be careful, promised not to take risks alone. Where was Ling Xiao now? Did he know he was missing? Would he come?

The blade touched my skin, icy cold.

Gunshots rang out.

It wasn't a single shot, but a series of precise bursts. A bloody hole appeared in the center of the knife-wielding man's forehead, his expression frozen in disbelief as he fell backward. His assistant was also knocked down almost simultaneously.

The entire altar erupted into chaos. The cloaked figures looked around in terror, searching for the source of the gunfire. A middle-aged man in a heavy black robe shouted, "Guards! Intruders!"

But it was too late.

From both sides of the cliff and mountain road, fully armed special police officers descended like divine soldiers, quickly surrounding the entire platform. Their movements were swift and professional; some controlled the perimeter, while others rushed straight to the center of the altar.

"Police! Everyone down! Hands over your heads!"

Some of the fanatical followers attempted to resist, but were quickly subdued. A few rushed toward the cliff in an attempt to escape, but were accurately shot in non-lethal areas by police snipers and fell to the ground.

Liang An lay on the stone bench, listening to the chaotic sounds around him, almost unable to believe his ears. Rescued? Really rescued?

The roar of helicopters grew louder as two police helicopters appeared above the cliff, their powerful searchlights illuminating the entire platform as if it were daytime. More police officers scrambled down from the helicopters and quickly brought the situation under control.

"Liang An!" A familiar voice broke through the noise.

Lingxiao!

Liang An strained to turn his head and saw Ling Xiao, accompanied by two policemen, rushing onto the altar. Ling Xiao's face was filled with fear and worry, but his eyes shone with a determined light as he headed straight for Liang An.

"Liang An, are you alright? Look at me, look at me!" Ling Xiao's voice trembled, and his hands shook violently as he tried to untie the iron ring. He succeeded after several attempts.

Even after the iron rings were removed, Liang An's body remained stiff. Ling Xiao carefully helped him up and held him tightly. "I'm sorry, I'm late, I'm so sorry..."

Liang An wanted to speak, but his lips could only move slightly, unable to utter a sound. He used all his strength to finally move his fingers and gently touch Ling Xiao's arm.

"He needs medical help!" Ling Xiao shouted.

The accompanying medical staff immediately stepped forward to examine Liang An's condition. A doctor frowned: "He has been injected with a high dose of nerve-numbing agent and needs to be taken to the hospital immediately for detoxification."

"Wen Zhi!" another voice rang out.

Wen Zhi was also rescued. Wen Qiliang, Wen Zhi's father, was holding his son, his face streaked with tears. Wen Zhi's condition seemed worse; he was completely unconscious and his face was pale.

"Two emergency helicopters are ready!" an officer shouted.

Ling Xiao carefully lifted Liang An onto the stretcher and accompanied the medical staff to one of the helicopters. Before boarding the helicopter, Liang An mustered all his strength to turn his head and look at the altar.

In the chaotic crowd, he saw Zhang Rui. She was also wearing a black cloak and being handcuffed by the police. When her eyes met Liang An's, his face, which always wore a gentle smile, was now filled with only cold resentment and an almost insane obsession.

Then Liang An was lifted onto the helicopter. Ling Xiao held his hand and whispered in his ear, "Sleep, I'm here, you're safe."

As the helicopter took off, Liang An finally let his consciousness sink into darkness.

-----------------

The rescue operation was jointly spearheaded by Ling Xiao's father, Ling Li, and Wen Zhi's father, Wen Qiliang.

It all started with a tracker.

After returning from the science education base, Ling Xiao installed a tracker on Liang An—the latest model he had specially obtained from his father's company. It was small, had a strong signal, and was originally intended for tracking valuables.

When Ling Xiao discovered Liang An's disappearance, he immediately contacted his father, Ling Li. Ling Li, a man of considerable influence in political and business circles, quickly contacted high-ranking police officials and mobilized resources through his personal connections. Upon learning that his son was also missing, Wen Qiliang used all his resources to provide financial and technical support.

Police tracked Liang An's location using a tracking device, eventually pinpointing him to a remote mountainous area in Huaishan City. Due to the involvement of a cult and the potential danger to his life, police deployed special forces and helicopters for this precise rescue operation.

In the subsequent investigation, the police uncovered the terrifying nature of the "Eternal Life Cult." This cult exploited human weaknesses, using mind control to gradually corrupt its followers. Initially, they instructed followers to torture and kill small animals, filming the acts as a "pledge of allegiance," thus pushing them to their moral limits.

Then, the cult requires its followers to participate in secret rituals, witnessing or even engaging in more brutal acts, gradually gaining their complete control. Ultimately, the chosen "sacrifice" is killed in the ritual, mummified, and sealed to the cliff face with special cement, which the followers believe will bring them "closer to immortality."

Zhao Shen was one such victim. Wen Zhi was implicated because he discovered Zhang Rui's secret, and Liang An was implicated because of him; ultimately, they were chosen as new sacrifices.

Zhang Rui was a mid-level member of the cult, responsible for identifying and luring suitable victims. She used her position as a teacher to specifically target students who were intelligent, somewhat independent, and whose families might not provide enough attention.

The case caused a huge sensation at Haicheng No. 1 High School. Students couldn't believe that Zhang Rui, the always smiling and responsible teacher, was a cult member involved in multiple murders. The case received widespread media coverage, sparking nationwide concern about school safety and cult infiltration.

Liang An and Wen Zhi received a week of treatment at the hospital. The effects of the nerve-numbing agent gradually wore off, but the doctor said that full recovery could take several months. When Wen Zhi woke up, he was still shaken by what had happened, but strangely, his recent inexplicable symptoms such as chest tightness and palpitations had lessened considerably, a phenomenon that even the doctors couldn't explain.

Ling Xiao stayed by Liang An's bedside almost every step of the way until Liang An was able to speak and move normally.

During the trial, more horrific details were revealed. The Eternal Life Cult had branches throughout the country, with more than twenty victims in total. Following the leads, the police dismantled the entire network. Zhang Rui, as a key accomplice, was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Two weeks later, Liang An and Ling Xiao returned to school. They had missed the physics competition, but the school granted them special permission to be exempt from some courses so they could focus on catching up.

The lingering warmth of late spring is about to dissipate, and the gentle scent of early summer is already spreading in the wind.

On the playground, Liang An leaned on Ling Xiao's shoulder, gazing at the distant sky. The setting sun dyed the clouds golden-red, beautiful and serene.

"Liang An, let's live together," Ling Xiao said softly.

He turned to look at Liang An, his eyes filled with tenderness: "When I can't see you, I always feel panicked, wondering what dangers you're facing in those unknown times. The story bracelet is like a time bomb; I hope I can be by your side anytime, anywhere..."

Liang An looked down at his left wrist. The dark golden plot cursor had shrunk to 40%. The inexplicable heat on the altar also seemed to have consumed a lot of its energy.

Liang An's eyebrows curved into a smile as she gave Ling Xiao a bright smile, then nodded deeply, her smile reflecting the peace of being deeply loved.

Ling Xiao quietly tightened her grip on Liang An's hand, her touch warm and firm.

Liang An thought that perhaps many more adventures awaited him, but life had to go on. And they still had a long way to go together.

They will walk hand in hand through year after year in this world filled with light, love, and hope...