After Zhang Taoying finished describing it, a while passed and then the candlelight fell silent.
Chen Jing suspected they were discussing the paintings, so he waited patiently with the others.
Half an hour later, the sound of candles flickering, accompanied by the lingering stench of corpses, carried Lu Gang's voice:
"Based on your description, I think that the stone tablet records something."
"These four paintings should have a specific order, but which came first and which came last?"
"That's obvious..." Chen Jing thought to himself. "Anyone could have come up with that. Why did you take so long to figure it out?"
"Lord Black Hand is truly incredibly knowledgeable," Zhang Taoying exclaimed. "He even knows such esoteric knowledge."
For a moment, Chen Jing couldn't tell whether this was due to her own lack of knowledge or deliberate flattery. Recalling how close she had been to Mo Wuge before, Chen Jing instantly had many thoughts.
Nobody's that simple... he thought, waiting for Lu Gang's reply.
"...Perhaps, based on the corpses we found here that weren't transformed by the Mist Spikes, some of them were killed, while many others were killed by having their throats slit, which might be the result of a ritual."
“This arena may have once been a place for imprisoning prisoners and for sacrificial purposes.”
"It used to be a normal arena, but it was later converted into this."
"As for the stone tablet you saw... I think there's no need for prisoners to see it; that should belong to the guards' area?"
"Any further messages from your side?"
Zhang Taoying looked around; no one seemed to have anything to add.
"If there are no problems, you can temporarily extinguish the candles. The candles can last for several days, but they will lose their effectiveness after eight hours of burning."
"Keep in touch anytime. We will always provide assistance. Remember, we are always behind you. You are not fighting alone."
“Okay, boss.” Dao Nan said, as if he genuinely regarded Black Hand Lu Gang as a leader he could follow.
"Understood, we will cherish this opportunity." Zhang Taoying said with a hint of fanaticism, "Long live the Black Hand Gang!"
“We will return to Ash City first. Tomorrow morning I will light candles and speak with you. May God bless you.” As Lu Gang spoke, the will-o’-the-wisp of the candle went out and the scent dissipated.
After the candles went out, the quiet tunnel fell silent.
Chen Jing glanced at everyone's faces and suggested, "Shall we search the area?"
“The Black Hand won’t rush in to rescue us. Gathering more information will help the Black Hand understand our situation,” Chen Jing said carefully, choosing his words.
"Which way should we go, forward or backward?" Dao Nan asked. "To the left is an abyss with no bottom in sight, and to the right is a cliff that I reckon is connected to the ground."
Chen Jing didn't answer, but tossed a coin.
Looking at the coin toss result, he said to Daonan, "Forward."
"This is God's decision."
...
The firelight dimmed the stone path, and five shadows stood on either side of the torch.
"You believe in 'heaven'?" He Lili asked Chen Jing.
"No, it just came out of my head." Chen Jing shook his head.
He Lili said, "I thought that the people of the former Song Dynasty would all believe in the hero god."
Dao Nan, carrying the unconscious Li Si on his back, said from the side, "The older generation still has faith, but now the temples of the Hero God can't be found anymore. Occasionally, we see a few statues, but we can't name them."
Chen Jing thought for a moment and said, "I believe in the Miracle King. I saw the Miracle King's temple fair from afar when I was a child."
These words silenced the five people present.
"What a coincidence."
He Lili looked at her toes: "Me too."
"You who left the former Song Dynasty... also believe in that legend?" Dao Nan asked.
“What, a legend?” Li Ai asked.
Before Chen Jing could speak, He Lili said first, "It's like this."
"Legend has it that before the ancient Song Dynasty was destroyed by disaster, the Sword Elder, the protector of Jiange, left behind a prophecy, which can also be called a legend."
"The prophecy said that the Song people would encounter a terrible disaster in the future, and a devastating explosion would bring up a terrifying fog. After that, someone would emerge from the fog, bringing a miracle and hope."
"The regicide will lead the resilient and unyielding Song people to rebuild the dynasty. All sacrifices and sufferings will be rewarded at that time. Many heroic souls will surround him, and he will wage war against an enlightened being."
Chen Jing's lips moved for a moment; he had also heard fragments of this story by chance.
The group fell into a brief silence as they walked through the dark and oppressive underground. The only light source was the torch in their hands. To their left was a bottomless abyss, to their right a towering cliff, ahead lay the unknown, and behind them dreaded terror.
In this environment, Chen Jing believes that such broad predictions or legends will not have any motivating effect.
There is no savior… he sighed inwardly.
I can only rely on myself.
"Do you believe this prophecy?" He Lili suddenly asked after a moment of silence.
"Why don't you believe it?" Dao Nan said, "When I was a blacksmith's apprentice, before I joined the hunting party, I heard the old man repeating this prophecy all day long. He said that the reason we endure so much suffering and pain is to accumulate strength for the final war, just like forging swords requires a thousand hammerings."
"Before he died, the old man kept saying that he hoped that when that day came, some heroic spirit, or at least some soldier, would be able to use the sword he forged and wear the armor he crafted..."
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