Chapter 42 Destruction of the Sacrifice

This fierce-looking and sullen leader glanced at Li Hao with a hidden trace, but eventually caught up with the team, regardless of whether Li Hao and the others were following them or what their intentions were, it had nothing to do with them.
They are only responsible for transporting the corpses, as long as there are no accidents during transportation, whatever happens afterwards is Tang Xiansheng's business. Tang Xiansheng has more than a dozen people under his command, so dealing with just two people is no problem at all.
Moreover, this is the annual ritual, and at such a crucial moment, those two dare not create trouble, they probably have no idea how they will end up dead. Just thinking about a previous ritual, when a relative rebelled against Tang Xian, the bloody scene that followed...
The leader shuddered and shook his head, trying not to dwell on it, and the whole team quickened their steps. As time passed, the atmosphere of the entire village became eerie, with the air so heavy it seemed to drip with dampness, and subtle chills crept silently into the village.
"Get ready for a tough battle." Li Hao, who was following the funeral procession, was suddenly interrupted by a voice from behind, which turned out to be Li Xue.
"Just so you know, I have no tricks left this time. Don't let yourself down too quickly later on." Li Hao's first sentence was a warning to Li Xue. After experiencing two almost ultimate battles, all of his trump cards had been revealed, so he couldn't afford to make any mistakes later on.
"I know this, I'll try not to hold you back, but I don't think the two of us can necessarily complete this side quest. If we force it, we may end up dead," Li Xue said seriously, looking at Li Hao and pointing around.
Prior to this, I had been focusing on the funeral team and hadn't paid any attention to the surroundings. Now, prompted by Li Xue's reminder, I instinctively looked around.
Wow, this is incredible! Everything around, both plants and inanimate objects, is freezing at a visible speed. When I looked at my own body, I realized that my skin had already formed a thin layer of frost. The most concerning thing is that Li Hao doesn't feel anything at all.
It is only just past six o'clock now, but the sky is already pitch black. Even with Li Hao's eyesight, he can only vaguely see the shadows of the funeral procession and barely keep up with them. There is a strong howling wind in his ears.
"Okay, this time we've got ourselves into a big mess, and we can't refuse this damn side mission." Li Hao gritted his teeth. This kind of aura is usually the background for the entrance of a big shot in a movie, which shows what kind of opponent Li Hao and the other person are facing this time."
"We can refuse this side quest, but without the one-third power bonus from completing it, even if we manage to escape the danger on the first day, we won't be able to avoid it on the fifteenth."
"Through multiple experiences, I have come to understand that it is impossible for the system to let you pass easily!" Li Xue's eyes suddenly burst with a hint of bright moonlight.
"Damn it, I never intended to take the easy way out. I might as well give it a try, I am determined!" Li Hao thought about how if he gave up now, he would be stuck here waiting for death. That frustration made him decide to give it his all. After all, Li Hao was now at his wit's end, and without giving it a shot, how would he know if there was still a chance?"
With the chilling cold air hitting them relentlessly, Li Hao and Li Xue both felt uncomfortable. It was strange that the funeral procession ahead of them, consisting of ordinary people, were still able to keep up a fast pace.
No! Maybe they are no longer normal people. After all, this is a ghost village arranged by the system. Thinking of this, Li Hao's mood became even heavier.
As time passed, the sky became darker. There were more and more villagers on the road, and it seemed that they were all following the funeral team. They had no reaction to the bone-chilling cold, and their clothing was normal without any thick coats.
The funeral procession finally stopped in the center of the village, where there was a very large open space. It was a simple empty space with no decorations or signs, only colorful things placed on the ground in advance.
At this moment, there were already many people gathered here, but there was no one speaking loudly on the scene, and only a few people were whispering, creating a very eerie atmosphere.
The team transporting the corpse placed it in the middle of the open space, and then Tang Xiansheng handed over the task.
After hesitating for a moment, the leader captain did not tell Li Hao about the news of these two outsiders, and left in a hurry after receiving the reward, seeming to be very cautious about this place.
With a previously cold and stern face, Tang Xiansheng now had a beaming smile, appearing very excited. He kept directing everyone to do this and that, and although everyone felt reluctant, they dared not voice their discontent.
A few eerie-dressed individuals who appeared to be witches were kneeling in the center of the open ground, manipulating two corpses while muttering incessantly. Strange bloodstains were gradually emerging on the surface of the main empty area.
These bloodstains remain in their original state regardless of being trampled upon or otherwise disturbed, appearing very gruesome. If viewed from above, they form a strange pattern.
Li Hao and the two of them looked at the scene from afar, their faces getting worse and worse. It was evident that this forced destruction of the ceremony would be a matter of life and death, especially since both of them had not fully recovered their strength.
"It's time to prepare, everyone line up and stop talking. We all understand the rules, so don't do anything you shouldn't." Tang Xiansheng suddenly said with a cold face, his eagle-like cold eyes scanning the whole room.
Those who were still whispering quickly shut their mouths. Not only that, now everyone obediently lined up in a strange order, not moving a muscle.
Seeing everyone obediently lining up, Tang Xiansheng nodded in satisfaction. His face once again displayed a creepy smile, and his eyes carried a nearly insane devotion as he walked towards the center of the empty space. Except for those peculiar sorcerers, everyone else stood silently on the edge of the empty space.
And those quirky wizards still remained on their knees, hands clasped together facing the two bodies on the ground, their eyes slightly closed, their faces showing fervent devotion, resembling cultists.
The corpses they had manipulated on the ground looked terrifying, with neatly carved knife marks and various strange spices scattered around, as if they were going to eat the dead people raw.
Tang Xiansheng walked behind the wizard and whispered, "It's time, let's begin." His voice trembled, and excitement was evident in his tone. He appeared like a wild beast in heat, desperately restraining his desires.
A few wizards kneeling on the ground immediately started chanting in an orderly manner. In the quiet and desolate field, there were indescribable bizarre sounds surrounding the wizards.
The bloodstains on the ground slowly converged towards the center and seeped into two bodies. As the blood infiltrated, the originally somewhat decomposed bodies unexpectedly became rosy-skinned, looking no different from living people.
Finally, all the blood rushed into the two bodies, and the whispers of the wizards turned into loud chants. The bodies that were kneeling on the ground slowly stood up, and Tang Xiansheng stared at the two corpses on the ground, which looked no different from living beings, with wide eyes.
The whole body was stooped, looking restlessly as if ready to pounce on the corpse.
Are you really ready to eat dead bodies? Li Hao, watching from a distance, felt disgusted. But Li Xue behind him suddenly shouted to get ready to take action, with the target being the group of wizards and Tang Xiansheng in the center of the open space.