Inside the Court Faction's Sacrificial Chamber.
Xing Tao and Guo Caier carefully inspected the left side of the Blood Pool, but found no mechanisms or clues.
The surrounding walls were hard and cold, without murals or written information of any kind. They were covered only in a film of green droplets, as though moldy and rotten.
"Hiss..."
Crimson smoke continued spraying from the cracks in the walls. Whether it was psychological or the poisonous smoke was actually taking effect, Xing Tao and Guo Caier both felt their chests tighten and their breathing grow labored. Their moods also began turning irritable...
At the center of the chamber's ceiling, the Eternal Lamp's flame seemed frozen in place, its light unable to reach the room's corners.
From where Xing Tao stood, he could only vaguely make out Coachman and Scholar's figures, but not their expressions or subtle movements.
In this unbearably oppressive environment, under a mission mechanism that demanded one person's sacrifice...
As Xing Tao stared at Coachman and Scholar, his eyes unconsciously became bloodshot and bulged... revealing struggle and terror.
"Swish...!"
Just then, Guo Caier bent slightly and gently pulled a palm-length shuttle from a corpse hidden in a dark corner.
The object was pointed at both ends and small enough to conceal inside a sleeve. As soon as Guo Caier picked it up, she touched its edge with her thumb and found it fairly sharp.
"Coachman, come here a moment." Xing Tao felt Guo Caier poke his back and immediately understood. He called out in an unhurried voice, "Help me see what this is."
On the chamber's right side, Coachman clenched his fists at the call, conflict appearing on his face.
He glanced sidelong at Scholar, who stood within arm's reach. Scholar remained motionless and seemed to be watching him too.