The alchemy factory control hub, the third floor.
A group of people were cautiously standing near the mysterious Bloodcore that was floating in the air. Because only here, could they be safe.
In addition to this, lightning often struck down abruptly.
Lightning struck at random and followed no pattern. Previously, Jia Sha, Zi Di, and the tower spirit contented with each other for authority over the weather, leading to this outcome.
The crowd were on tenterhooks, some of them called Zi Di’s or Jia Sha’s name, but neither of them responded.
“Repulsive……” In the crowd, Zong Ge’s brows wrinkled.
Even if he wasn’t good at strategy, he also felt far from good.
“Jia Sha’s and Zi Di’s struggle seemed to have been settled, but who was victorious? Why hasn’t there been any movement?”
“Regardless of who won, would they save us?”
Zong Ge was incessantly worried, and many others were the same. But they couldn’t do anything but be trapped here.
If they charged out, they might be struck by lightning.
They also didn’t dare to get too close to the Bloodcore.
While the body double was unconscious, someone brazenly thought they could seize the Bloodcore, but as they got closer, a blood light shined and turned their entire body into ash.
“What should we do?” Zong Ge looked around him.
The giant remained unconscious.
Cang Xu hung his head.
Tripleblade was at a loss.
Lan Zao kneeled next to the body double; his vision had gone complexly lax. Once he wanted to follow the body double wholeheartedly, he thought with the help of the body double’s radiance and moral character, he could redeem himself of the crime of killing his younger brother.
However, the body double’s identity was exposed, allowing him to know that the man he followed was nothing more than a fake.
This fact was a deep blow to him and made him increasingly dazed.
The others remained silent, every single one of them looked grave.
Many people anxiously sat on the ground and put their hands on their heads, as if abandoning their struggle while waiting for the fourth floor to reach a conclusion.
At that moment, Zong Ge suddenly heard someone shriek, the voice was filled with fright.
Zong Ge’s pupils suddenly dilated, he almost thought he was seeing an illusion as he watched the body double slowly get up.
“He, didn’t he die?”
“Alive! He is alive?!”
“Zhen, Lord Zhen Jin……” Lan Zao’s mouth opened wide, just a moment ago, the body double was lifeless.
But soon after, someone negated Lan Zao’s address: “No, he isn't Zhen Jin! He is only a body double.”
“You, are you a human or a ghost?”
Everyone stood up horrified.
For a moment, everyone’s eyes focused on the youngster.
The youngster sighed, kneeled on the ground, put his hands on his knees, and slowly got up.
He looked around and touched everyone’s line of sight.
From these gazes, he saw vigilance, fear, doubt, worry, and many other complex emotions that were hard to put into words.
The youngster sighed again and internally lamented: “The moment has finally arrived.”
In the past, these people adored, respected, loved him, and wanted to follow him. But now, everyone looked at him with worry and suspicion.
This was completely understandable.
Because he was not Zhen Jin, he had deceived everyone. He even died and came back to life, everything they saw with their own eyes was a scam!
Like Zi Di’s extreme regret, when Zhen Jin announced his identity, it caused immense incomparable damage.
“He is actually alive! He was definitely hit by lightning. Don’t tell me he feigned death? Could it be that he is Zi Di’s hope?” Jia Sha slightly changed.
Of course, the third floor’s circumstances could not be concealed from him.
Following the body double’s revival, Jia Sha’s restlessness increased, and he promptly informed Zhen Jin.
Zhen Jin was also shocked: “He can even resist lightning, what should we do if he charges up?”
“Stabilize him! I’ve almost succeeded, as long as the teleportation door forms, we can leave this place with the Mermaid Fairy Tale. After we leave, there won’t be enough magic power for a new teleportation door, dooming those people!” Jia Sha sneered.
“What about the third floor’s mysterious crystal?” A guardian templar knight asked.
Jia Sha shook his head: “Unfortunately, without any means, I can only give it up. The chaotic lightning has consumed too much magic power, we cannot escape with that mysterious magic crystal.
Thus, under Jia Sha’s orders, Zhen Jin’s voice was quickly transmitted: “Body double! You being alive is great, you are one of my people. Maybe you don’t know your real identity, but in truth, I am the real Zhen Jin. As long as you vow loyalty and devotion to me, I will use my noble honor to swear that I will forgive you, give you your life, and grant you an opportunity to achieve your goals.”
The body double youngster soon looked up at the fourth floor with a heavy expression: “So, Zi Di failed, and now you stand on Jia Sha’s side?”
Zhen Jin’s heart and head shook as his mouth dropped. For a moment, he didn’t understand how the body double could instantly understand the fourth floor’s situation.
He wanted to declare something, but at that moment, the body double began to speak: “If Zi Di was winning, she would have spoken herself, and not have you speak for her.
Muttering to himself, the body double continued: “She can no longer speak, perhaps she is already dead.”
Zhen Jin glanced at the bleeding girl, he was just about to veto the body double’s guess, however Jia Sha interfered: “She isn’t far from death. However, she still has a chance to live if you cooperate.”
“Cooperate?” The body double youngster laughed for a bit, then raised his brows: “How can I cooperate with you? Will you make me kill these people so all of the feasible contribution will belong to you?”
Everyone became alarmed and restless, many people stepped back while the fear and vigilance in their gazes grew.
Of course, Jia Sha wasn’t fooled, and he smiled: “You don’t need to instigate anything, I am a priest, and I will do my best to make sure they leave this place. I need your cooperation; I simply want you to calm down a little and see the situation clearly.”
“Zi Di is already unconscious, thus I am the only one with the authority to open a teleportation door.:
“You have already lost, thinking it is anything else is unnecessary.”
“You really are guilty, but guilt is not death, and most of the guilt lies in Zi Di, not you. Essentially, you were a deceived chess piece, that’s all”
“You don’t believe you hate Zi Di.”
“She cheated you, was delighted to have you sacrifice your life for her. Although this girl isn’t very old, she deeply understands the hearts of men, is cunning, sinister, and dangerous.”
“She is the President of the Wisteria Merchant Alliance, when it was annexed by imperial nobles, her heart resented the empire, thus her vengeful rage caused her to forfeit her rationality and inevitably burn herself.”
“If you still want to stand by her side, you will oppose the templar legions and the Heavenly Emperor, that isn't a wise decision.”
“You guessed the fourth floor’s situation with just Zhen Jin’s words, this is sufficient proof you are an intelligent youngster.”
“Do you still remember your confession with me?”
“Youngster, I know you have a benevolent heart, that you yearn for light.”
“Your body is guilty; this cannot be denied.”
“But the road to salvation is under your feet, as long as you wish to walk it, you can choose to do so.”
“I use my priesthood to promise your redemption. But genuine salvation depends on you. You should thoroughly understand this reasoning.”
The youngster gently laughed: “So……you’re scared?”
“I died and came back to life, and you cannot discover what’s true and false about me, as a result, you want to stabilize me?”
“It appears you can no longer manipulate the weather, if you could send down lightning, you wouldn’t have hesitated like the last time you struck me.”
Jia Sha strictly replied: “Youngster, you overestimate yourself too much, don’t be too smart for your own good! The last strike was because you charged up to the fourth floor, it was an obvious plot that was unfavorable to us……”
But he didn’t finish as the youngster cut him off: “So, you discovered lightning cannot kill me, thus you want to stabilize me for the time being?”
“Not enough divine power? Are you not enough?”
“The magic beasts are no longer a threat, however you haven’t used a divine spell to deal with me yet, instead you want to stabilize me. You want to stall for time, secretly open the teleportation door, and escape with the divine artifact?”
“You don’t seem to be worried that I will pursue……don’t tell me, the magic power reserve isn’t enough for a second teleportation door? Also, so much lightning would have consumed a lot of magic power.
Hearing the youngster’s guesses, the surrounding people became restless.
Jia Sha looked ashen: “Youngster, I want you to consider this. You want to charge up, but along the way, perhaps the lightning will allow you to taste death again. Even if it doesn't, when you come to the fourth floor, you are simply walking into our trap to obtain our warm welcome. But if you choose to believe me, and select the road of redemption, you might receive a longer life and a brighter future.”
“Hehe.” The youngster sneered, “ You want me to believe you? How can I believe you? Previously, you killed me. And before that, you would rather teleport the divine artifacts first instead of our comrades.”
“I will kill you, but I won’t be the only person.”
Saying this, the youngster looked at the crowd.
Everyone vigilantly looked at him and didn’t react.
Notes
It all comes down to the people’s choice; will they select the person who saved their lives on multiple occasions, or the one who actively wants to kill and abandon them? Words prove nothing, and are often empty. Only through actions and proof can trust be forged and maintained. Despite one being a monster, it is the monster who puts the betterment of the masses over himself, despite how he is judged and despised.