“Mister Mai,” Salman murmured. “Do you believe in God?”
“I do. I’m Buddhist,” said Xia Lei.
“Then, do you believe that God exists in this world?”
“Of course. God created everything, including me,” said Xia Lei seriously.
“Just so you know, Mister Nahar and I have heard the voice of God before.”
“Voice of God?” Xia Lei felt his heart racing. “What did it say?”
“The voice of God led Mister Nahar to the southern frontier and mentioned that he’ll find a female corpse there. I didn’t believe him at first. I even suspected that Mister Nahar was driven mad by the situation he was in. However, we went to the mountain and guess what. We found a female corpse there. She had been dead for days but her body was warm like a person who was alive. The snow melted when it fell on her face. At that moment, I believed that there is a god in this world.”
Xia Lei was stunned upon hearing it. He had been wondering why Gu Kewen’s body was here. Salman had provided him with the answer. Salman described the voice as the voice of God. However, Xia Lei knew that the voice was actually Zhu Xuanyue’s voice. It was the same voice that controlled Ning Jing. It was Zhu Xuanyue all along. Zhu Xuanyue had controlled Nahar and Salman!
“I knelt beside the corpse and I worshipped her. Shortly after, I also heard the voice of God.” Salman looked just like a prayer that was full of piety, she seemed strange.
“What did you hear?”
“She told me that a blonde European woman and an Asian brunette will die. She gave me the location and told me to go and get the bodies.”
‘The voice you heard. Is it the voice of a…goddess?” Xia Lei was going to say woman, but he changed his mind.
“Yes, it’s the voice of a goddess.”
“Are these the bodies she asked you to bring back?” Xia Lei pointed at the two female corpses.
“Yes, it’s them. I can’t explain all these. However, when I followed her instructions and got to that location. These two women arrived at that location in their respective cars. Then, they died in front of me. I don't know what happened to them, but they just died.”
Xia Lei was shocked. “Did no one doubt it? Or do something about it? Like calling an ambulance?”
“You weren’t there. You don’t know what it was like. That place is desolate. The nearest village is an hour’s drive away. No one could have discovered them except for me.”
The scene was appearing in Xia Lei’s mind. A blonde European woman and an Asian brunette drove to the middle of nowhere and died without rhyme or reason. It was as if both of them were travelling a thousand miles to offer their bodies.
“I took their bodies away with the freezer car. They are god’s clothes.”
“Clothes? Is this what the god said?”
“Of course, these two corpses are her clothes.”
Xia Lei was shocked. His mind went blank and he couldn’t think straight anymore.
By this time, two researchers had already moved Gu Kewen’s body into a glass container. Her body was covered with a patch of tape with wires and a catheter to carry the fluid.
“Mister Mai, it’s time to witness a miracle!” Salman walked toward a machine that looked like the engine of a large bomber.
Xia Lei was anxious. At the same time, he was feeling extremely contradicted. He did not want Gu Kewen to come back to life. However, who wouldn’t want to see the dead brought back to life?
Just when Salman was about to start the strange machine, a thought popped into Xia Lei’s mind. His gaze moved towards Ning Jing. He didn’t know those two women. He didn’t care if they lived or died. However, Ning Jing was his friend. She was innocent. He couldn’t bear to see her becoming Zhu Xuanyue’s host body.
“Hold on!” Xia Lei approached Ning Jing urgently. “She can’t join!”
“Stop it! What are you doing?” Salman hissed.
Xia Lei reached out and grabbed a patch on Ning Jing's forehead. “I said, she can’t join!”
“Who the hell are you?” Xia Lei raised Salman's suspicion towards him.
Xia Lei mentally scolded himself for being so edgy. He had forgotten that he was playing the role of a Japanese as he was too concerned about Ning Jing. He wouldn't know Ning Jing personally in this role. If he didn’t know her, why would he stop her from participating in the reincarnation experiment?
“If you think you can stop this miracle from happening by giving me a little money, you’re wrong.” Salman’s eyes suddenly turned strange. It seemed hollow and numb. A moment later, a stranger’s voice came out of her mouth, “Get out of here! Danger!”
Xia Lei was shocked. “What did you just say? Who are you?”
“Danger! Get out of here!” The stranger’s voice was full of anxiety.
Xia Lei had heard it clearly when it voiced out for the first time. Listening to this voice jogged his memory. He recalled the night he was in Paris, France. That night, he got a call in Hattori Mei’s villa. It was a woman that warned him of the danger. After the call, he met an opponent he had never met before and he nearly died there.
It’s the same voice as before, does that mean the strange existence is in New Delhi now?
“Start the machine!” Salman’s voice rang. Her voice turned normal.
A researcher quickly started the strange machine, which resembled a bomber engine. As the machine started, the laboratory was filled with the whining sound which gave off a creepy vibe. Amid the voice, blue voltaic arcs were emitted from the machine and were transferred to the huge glass container through the wires. Gu Kewen’s body trembled as the arc was transmitted into her body. After that, the blue voltaic arc flowed from the glass container into the blonde woman’s body, the Asian brunette body, and Ning Jing’s body.
Due to the moment of hesitation. Xia Lei was electrified by the blue voltaic arc as he was still holding on to the patches on Ning Jing. He lost control of his body and the powerful current bounced him off and slammed him to the ground.
Tsukino Kyoko ran towards Xia Lei. She asked anxiously. “What happened to you? Are you alright? Hey!”
Xia Lei shook his head to clear his mind. Although he was conscious, his body felt numb. He couldn’t get up from the floor.
“Mister Mai, you can either stay or get the hell out of there. It’s a warning!” Salman’s voice was filled with anger.
“Moron!” Tsukino Kyoko scolded Salman in Japanese while glaring at her. At the same time, a sword slipped from her sleeve into her palm.
Just when Tsukino Kyoyo wanted to raise her hand, Xia Lei had regained his mobility. He grabbed on Tsukino Kyoko’s hands. “Let’s get out of here.”
Tsukino Kyoko watched Xia Lei in disbelief. “Get out of here?” She was puzzled by Xia Lei’s decision. Wasn’t solving the mystery his intention all along? He climbed up to the thirtieth floor and spent one hundred thousand dollars, but he decided to retreat when the mystery was about to be solved. She couldn’t understand him at all.
Xia Lei didn’t explain. He got up from the floor immediately, took his backpack and headed towards the exit.
“Mister Mai, it’s your decision. I won't give you your money back,” said Salman. At this moment, she was the Salman from before.
“Keep the money. I just need you to keep the secret that I have been here. Otherwise, you will not get a penny,” said Xia Lei.
“No problem.” Salman pursed her lips with a sly smile. She was not an idiot who would let the fresh money slip away.
Xia Lei’s gaze once again fell on Ning Jing. Her body was quivering on the cold operating table, her hair standing up one by one. It was very frightening.
Xia Lei let out a sigh. “I’m sorry. I can't take you under these circumstances. I hope you’ll be alright. Take care…”
He withdrew his attention from Ning Jing and walked towards the door of the laboratory.
None of the researchers would be able to stop him if he wanted to bring Ning Jing away by force. However, he knew he couldn’t. He was concerned that the interruption of the experiment would harm Ning Jing. Besides, he was sure that this matter was related to Zhu Xuanyue. He couldn’t interfere in Zhu Xuanyue’s affair. If Zhu Xuanyue wanted Ning Jing to die, there was nothing he could do.
Just as Xia Lei was about to reach the door, Anjum Khan’s voice rang from the tiny receiver hidden in his ear. “Boss, someone has entered the building!”
“Who is it?”
“Japanese and Nahar. There’s a lot of them. Get out of there with Ning Jing now! ” Anjum Khan urged.
“I got it, prepare for the retreat,” Xia Lei replied in a cold and low voice.
“Ah? Retreat?” Anjum Khan was shocked.
“You heard me right. Prepare to retreat.” Xia Lei repeated the instruction. It was not the Japanese that worried and frightened him. Instead, it was the terrifying existence that scared him.
Normal people weren’t able to fight with it, just like how no one could fight with Zhu Xuanyue.
“Roger that, we’ll wait for you outside.” Anjum Khan ended the call.
Xia lei reached for the door handle.
Suddenly, the lights in the laboratory went out.