At this moment, Ren Jie felt the world turn completely black, and his body grew colder and colder, as if an invisible pair of large hands were dragging him towards the depths of darkness…
Whispers, like the low murmurs of a Demon, echoed in his ears.
Was he going to die?
Death… was this what it felt like? Ren Jie wondered…
Finally, he could rest… Years of part-time jobs, trying every possible way to earn money, sometimes only sleeping two or three hours a day…
He was truly exhausted; he could finally get a good night's sleep.
But once he fell asleep, he might never wake up again.
What about An Ning? Could she manage taking care of Yaoyao by herself?
Without his income to support them, how much longer could Yaoyao's demon mark disease be sustained?
She would surely cry if she knew something had happened to him, right?
Ahhh… He really didn't want to die…
So many regrets…
Ren Jie's consciousness struggled fiercely, but he had completely lost control of his body, powerless to change anything.
The doctor mourned: “11:44 PM, patient's heart has stopped, brain death confirmed, no vital signs…”
“Where are the family members? There's no space in the morgue, just send him directly to the crematorium for cremation. Don't bother anymore…”
Wei Pingsheng wiped away tears: “Burn him. Everyone, let's see him off one last time…”
It's better not to let An Ning see Ren Jie's tragic corpse; it would only add another wound to her heart.
He'd tell her tomorrow…
Only, Wei Pingsheng didn't know how to tell An Ning…
At this moment, Ren Jie was stunned; he clearly heard the conversation between the doctor and Wei Shu!
Send him directly to the crematorium for cremation? Burn him?
Damn it! Is it that hasty?
I'm not completely dead yet; I still have consciousness, hey! You're just going to burn me directly?
Wouldn't that hurt to death?
You can't treat a hero like this!
However, Ren Jie could do nothing but let everyone push him towards the crematorium amidst their cries.
Although Ren Jie felt his consciousness continuously falling, it never dissipated. He didn't know what was happening.
Dead, but not entirely dead?
Ren Jie was going crazy, rescue him?
I feel like I can still be saved, hey!
However, Ren Jie was as quiet as… bah, he was a corpse…
…
In the crematorium, the massive Burning furnace door opened. Ren Jie had already been changed into clean clothes, and his appearance had been tidied up…
Xiao Ming was still crying, and his mother held Xiao Ming, sobbing. After all, he had bravely sacrificed himself to save her child.
Tian Yu and the others also wiped away tears. Although everyone didn't particularly like Ren Jie on a daily basis, they were all from the same youth training team and had trained together for almost a month, so there was some affection.
He never expected… his first time on an outdoor mission, and he was gone just like that…
Wei Pingsheng squatted on the ground, smoking cigarette after cigarette, his expression forlorn…
The staff member tilted his head and said, “Then I'll burn him, okay…”
No one spoke; the atmosphere in the room was sorrowful and heavy. Wei Pingsheng silently nodded.
And just then, a rush of footsteps echoed in the corridor.
Everyone's gaze was drawn by the footsteps, only to see a young girl carrying a long sword rush into the crematorium.
It was Jiang Jiuli, the girl who had fought against the Demon at the Devil Disaster site.
Without the starlight to obscure her, everyone finally saw her face clearly.
Her long black hair cascaded down to her waist like a waterfall, her eyes were bright, her teeth white, her skin fair as snow, her nose bridge high, and her features so perfect she seemed to have stepped out of a painting.
Like a celestial maiden descended to the mortal world, with her arrival, it seemed as if the entire crematorium brightened.
However, Jiang Jiuli was somewhat disheveled at the moment; her white tracksuit was covered in black ash, and her fair, lotus-like arm was wrapped in bandages.
Everyone stared in astonishment at the young girl with her ethereal aura…
Jiang Jiuli's large eyes fell directly on Ren Jie, her gaze dimming. She then glanced at Wei Pingsheng, wanting to speak but saying nothing…
She just leaned silently against the wall, clutching her arm, head bowed, clenching her fists tightly…
Although she didn't know this person, he had been crushed to death by her, and ultimately, it was due to her own lack of ability…
She was very sad, so as soon as the matter there concluded, she rushed over…
At least… let me see him off…
The staff member merely glanced at Jiang Jiuli. Seeing that she had no intention of stepping forward, he directly pushed Ren Jie into the crematory furnace.
The furnace door closed, and cremation began.
Ren Jie was already cursing loudly in his mind.
Damn it, I'm not completely dead yet, don't burn me! What kind of quack doctor is this!
You're just going to cremate me in one go, is that acceptable?
Wouldn't that hurt to death?
His consciousness continued to plummet, but this time, it seemed to have hit rock bottom…
Ren Jie was surprised to find himself in a vast Mirror Lake, standing in its center. Looking down, he could see his reflection on the lake's surface.
The reflection distorted with ripples spreading in circles.
Around the Mirror Lake was an endless dark space, with a few wisps of thin white mist floating on the lake's surface…
Ren Jie was bewildered!
“Where is this? The world after death?”
Soon, he discovered that he wasn't the only thing in the Mirror Lake Space. A black fragment floated in the dark space, looking as if it had fallen from a lump of coal, covered with dense double helix patterns…
Ren Jie's eyes widened suddenly!
“This… isn't this my pendant?”
Ten years ago, a Class A Devil Disaster occurred in Jin City. His parents and younger brother all died in the Devil Disaster, while Ren Jie was desperately rescued by a Si Yao Official named Tao Ran.
And Tao Ran also sacrificed himself to save Ren Jie, leaving behind his wife, An Ning, and his five-year-old daughter, Tao Yaoyao…
Ren Jie was adopted by An Ning and brought to Jin City to live…
As for Wei Pingsheng, he was Tao Ran's comrade-in-arms and had also participated in that rescue, which is why he cared so much about Ren Jie…
Ren Jie clearly remembered that he had accidentally dug up this fragment ten years ago when he was frantically digging through the ruins, trying to dig out his younger brother…
He had worn it on his body for so many years as a protective charm and a remembrance of his family.
Could this thing actually be a treasure?
Ren Jie couldn't help but recall the Burning sensation he felt in his chest when he was first struck. Was it all because of the fragment?
A normal person with such severe injuries would have died long ago, but his consciousness had not dissipated.
Just as Ren Jie was contemplating the situation before him.
The black fragment plunged directly into the Mirror Lake.
At this moment, the entire Mirror Lake Space began to vibrate.
A pitch-black giant tree burst through the lake's surface, growing vigorously. Its main trunk twisted like a coiled Dragon, spiraling upwards, transforming into a towering tree in an instant.
Countless thick branches extended from the main trunk like Demon Claws, almost filling the entire Mirror Lake Space.
Branches grew profusely, yet there were no leaves, just like a burnt, withered tree…
Compared to a sacred tree, this was more like a demon tree.
Ren Jie was filled with shock; everything before him had long surpassed his understanding.
As if by a ghost's hand, he couldn't help but raise his hand to touch the tree trunk. In the ethereal realm, their Qi intertwined…
The next moment, the largest main branch at the bottom of the demon tree lit up, turning crimson, and instantly burst into Burning.
A fiery fruit, as dazzling as the sun, formed on that fiery branch, emitting astonishing high temperatures.
Within the fiery fruit, a demonic shadow was faintly visible.
Just then, a low murmur, like that of a Demon, echoed in Ren Jie's ears:
“Demon Pact formed! Contracted Demon: Flame Devil!”
“Demonization cost: Make others cry.”
“Cost paid.”
“Flame Devil gene injected.”
“Flame Demon Spirit born, initial pact Demonization begins.”
Ren Jie: ???
Almost instantly, the white mist floating on the lake's surface was absorbed by the demon tree.
On the Flame Demon branch, endless flames rushed down the main trunk and violently plunged into the Mirror Lake.
Transforming into an endless sea of fire, instantly engulfing Ren Jie's consciousness.
At the same time, the cremation furnace began to ignite!