Chapter 37: The Chosen People

Qin Changsheng blinked, suspecting that he had seen it wrong.

This was what they called a “safe house”!?

They seemed to be standing on a small hillside, from which they could overlook the entire town below.

The town was quite large, and it appeared to be holding some kind of festival. The streets were filled with noise and excitement; even from this distance, they could hear cheers surging through the town like waves.

Qin Changsheng had not been mistaken. This really was a town!

And the sounds drifting up from below meant that, aside from the people inside the hall, others lived nearby as well.

For a fleeting moment, the thought of going down to the town to seek help and report the situation flashed through Qin Changsheng’s mind. Since this was a town rather than some sealed-off space, they ought to have plenty of ways to leave.

But the thought vanished almost as soon as it appeared.

He still remembered what the Monarch had said before disappearing.

“Rule Three: No one is permitted to investigate how to leave this place.”

It was a trap. Any attempt to escape would violate the rules. The town at the foot of the hill was not their salvation, but a trap meant to awaken the hope buried in their hearts.

Hope was poison!

Qin Changsheng drew a deep breath and cast aside every thought that might lead him into making a mistake.

He had seen plots like this countless times in horror films. People thought that once they reached a town full of other human beings, everything would be over. But who knew what kind of demons and monsters might actually inhabit the place?

More than ninety people had all been moved into this hall on the hillside. It would probably have been too exhausting for the Monarch to do it alone. There had to be plenty of helpers behind the scenes.

Perhaps the town below was the headquarters of some sinister cult!

Still, it was obviously impossible to remain here doing nothing. Although they did not yet know what traps lay hidden in the town below, judging from the Monarch’s words, they would certainly have to go there sooner or later.

Since it was bound to happen, they might as well take the initiative and secure at least a little control over the situation.

Once he had made up his mind, Qin Changsheng stopped worrying about the consequences. Taking Cao Mengmeng and the other two with him, he led them out through the crack in the door.

The moment he stepped outside, the air seemed much fresher. More than ninety people had previously been crammed into a single hall. Even though it was spacious, the place had been oppressively hot and stuffy.

The hall behind them looked rather dilapidated from the outside. Judging by its architecture, it seemed to be a temple, with a domed roof and walls covered in all kinds of symbols Qin Changsheng could not recognize. The entire building was steeped in religious overtones.

He had no desire to focus his attention on the hall behind him.

Beyond it stretched a clear night sky, its darkness scattered with stars like countless pearls strewn across black velvet.

The place appeared to be extremely remote. Having always lived in the city, Qin Changsheng had never seen such a brilliant sky.

The wind brushed against his cheeks, while the grass around him rustled softly. Qin Changsheng closed his eyes, and two words surfaced in his mind:

Freedom.

Although it felt as if he had merely stepped from one cage into another, at least this cage was more comfortable.

When the others in the hall saw Qin Changsheng leave first, several hesitated before slowly following him out. The rest looked at one another, most of them still struggling with their own doubts.

Standing beneath the night sky, Qin Changsheng took several deep breaths of the fresh air outside and felt his mind grow considerably clearer.

By the time he came back to himself, the group behind him had already begun to take shape. After seeing that nothing had happened to Qin Changsheng during the time he had been outside, most of the others followed him out as well.

Only a small number remained in the hall, either consumed by despair or paralyzed by fear.

Qin Changsheng glanced through the crack in the door but had no intention of dragging them all outside. In truth, he was not particularly concerned even about those who had followed him.

He was not their leader, and he had no obligation to take responsibility for them. Simply ensuring the safety of Cao Mengmeng and the others had already pushed him to the limit.

Noble intentions came quickly and departed just as quickly. He had taken the initiative, defeated Corpse Mountain, and rescued these more than ninety people, but it was impossible for him to help them for the rest of their lives.

From here on, they would have to walk the road themselves.

Accordingly, Qin Changsheng merely stretched his somewhat weary limbs. After resting sufficiently, he led Cao Mengmeng and the others down a narrow path worn into the hillside by years of foot traffic.

He held the silent Wu Yutong by the hand. She was Xifeng Lie’s younger sister, and his conscience told him that he ought to protect her as well.

The others followed Qin Changsheng in orderly fashion, like sheep trailing behind a shepherd.

Apart from those who had remained in the hall, more than eighty and nearly ninety people followed behind him. Such a large procession naturally appeared imposing, and it was difficult for anyone in the town not to notice it.

Thus, by the time they reached the entrance to the town, a line of figures was already waiting for them ahead.

Qin Changsheng cautiously walked toward them. His heart was uneasy, yet at the same time, strangely clear.

As he and the people blocking the way drew closer, the faces before him became increasingly distinct.

The good news was that the people standing in their path were indeed human—at least in appearance. Men and women, old and young, were all present, and none of them looked especially deformed or terrifying. They were simply ordinary human beings.

The bad news was that, for some unknown reason, every one of them wore an eerie smile.

Their expressions made it seem as though they had known Qin Changsheng and the others were coming all along.

Who exactly were these people? Were they residents of the town?

Qin Changsheng was filled with a hundred questions. Just as he was wondering what he ought to do next, the crowd before him suddenly parted, opening a passage between them.

A single person slowly emerged from the crowd and walked toward Qin Changsheng and the others.

Qin Changsheng narrowed his eyes.

The figure was a stooped old man. His hair had fallen out completely, and his snow-white beard hung almost to his chest. He was so gaunt that he seemed little more than skin and bones, giving the impression that he had just crawled out of a coffin.

The old man leaned on a crooked cane that resembled a twisted vine. Trembling with every step, he came before Qin Changsheng and raised his head. From his eyes, narrowed into thin slits, two piercing gazes swept back and forth across Qin Changsheng’s face.

What was he trying to do?

The old man’s stare made Qin Changsheng’s skin crawl. He was just about to speak when he suddenly heard a heavy thud before him.

The old man had moved with astonishing speed. Before Qin Changsheng could even see what had happened, the man’s head had already struck the ground.

It was a full prostration, and the person receiving this grand obeisance was none other than Qin Changsheng himself.

Qin Changsheng was utterly dumbfounded. Before he could react, the people standing behind the old man began imitating him, one after another, all bowing down before Qin Changsheng.

“We have been waiting here for you for quite some time,” the old man said. His head remained pressed to the ground. His voice was hoarse, like a saw dragging across wood, yet the reverence in it was utterly sincere.

With the old man leading them, everyone prostrated on the ground behind him and shouted in unison toward Qin Changsheng:

“We welcome the Chosen of the Gods!”