"Qiuyue, I'm going to stay here and see what happens. Go behind the mountain and check whether anyone's coming."
Jiang Nuan intended to send Qiuyue away so she could carry out her plan.
Qiuyue first made a show of reluctance. Only when Jiang Nuan put on a stern face and told her to go did she take the opportunity to head behind the mountain and keep watch.
Once Qiuyue was gone, Jiang Nuan wasted no time. She immediately changed her clothes, activated Invisibility mode, and rushed onto the sacrificial altar.
The villagers of Jade Spring Village were all kneeling before the altar, while the High Priest walked through the crowd to a raised platform beside it.
"O god! I have felt your wrath and offer you a maiden in exchange for your protection of the people of Jade Spring Village!"
The High Priest raised his arms and cried out. Then twelve young men in grass skirts began dancing around the altar, babbling a stream of words Jiang Nuan could not understand.
What kind of feudal-superstition sacrificial ceremony is this? I can't stand it!
Jiang Nuan grumbled inwardly as she ran toward the altar.
By the time Jiang Nuan reached the altar, the men dancing around it had stopped.
After spending some time supposedly communing with heaven and earth—but actually just resting with his eyes closed—the High Priest finally opened his eyes.
"So that Jade Spring Village may safely weather this year's calamity, we ask Song Li to go to her death!"
"We ask Song Li to go to her death!"
The villagers spoke in unison.
Even Song Li's parents and older brother were no exception. They had already tried their best. Since they had failed, they could only accept reality.
Song Li gave them one last lingering look, then turned