"You go die." Qing Wanglai's words rang in everyone's ears, stunning everyone in the room.
Everyone present stared at Qing Wanglai in disbelief, unable to fathom what kind of thinking could have made him say such a thing. Li Huowang was no exception.
"Fuck!" Ba Nanxu took a hard drag on his cigarette and was about to pull the trigger when Zhao Shuangdian slipped a finger in and jammed it.
"Don't rush. Let him finish." Even in the face of something so absurd, Zhao Shuangdian remained remarkably calm.
Looking at Li Huowang before him, Qing Wanglai continued, "I need you to die because I need the projections on both sides to collapse back at the same time."
"I'm not like you. I've seen more than you have. You've only connected with another layer of projection, but through some means, I've already discussed this decision with the real me. This is the only way."
Li Huowang's eye trembled as he blinked. He said to Qing Wanglai, "All the projections? In your eyes, not only are we projections, even the Siming are merely projections on one side? You even want to destroy everything? All of this is for your plan?"
"Mm." Qing Wanglai nodded with utter calm.
"Li Huowang, I know you understand the bigger picture. I believe you understand which matters more and which matters less. You can also see that your sacrifice is necessary."
Li Huowang looked at the young man before him with an utterly unfamiliar gaze, as though he were meeting him for the first time.
Still smiling, Qing Wanglai reached out and patted Li Huowang's shoulder encouragingly. "Don't worry. I know what you're afraid of, but this death isn't the end. It's only a new beginning."
"We're only projections. We aren't as important as you imagine."
"Projections