Thriller Zone: From the Mental Hospital to the Ghostly World

Chapter 581 [Domain - Second Gate] Not Necessarily Death

"...If the fourth incense stick is as tall as the previous three, she will be safe."

As Chen Ji gazed at the faintly visible fourth incense stick amidst the white smoke, Luo Weicheng's last words resurfaced in his mind.

He looked at Wu Hui with a complicated expression. As the incense stick representing her dissipated, the life force that had been drained from her by the ghost mother and baby was slowly recovering.

But Wu Hui's face turned even paler.

The appearance of the fourth incense stick, combined with the absence of Luo Weicheng, speaks volumes.

"Where is Lao... Luo Weicheng?"

"In another world."

Feng Yao answered Wu Hui's question in a very soft voice.

"he died."

Wu Hui stated this in an almost distortedly calm tone.

Feng Yao remained silent.

Because everything has proven that Luo Weicheng is 99% likely dead.

Even though he didn't witness Ma Zhao beheading him, in that confined environment, and with Luo Weicheng severely injured, he had almost no chance of escaping.

If Chen Ji's card had been successfully delivered, there might have been a sliver of hope, but as it turns out...

Only the incense burner can leave that world.

However, at that moment, Chen's hesitant voice suddenly rang out:

"...Not necessarily."

He and Fei'er had returned to their human forms. A hint of weariness flashed in his eyes as he recounted the events of the past and his speculations to Wu Hui.

Luo Weicheng's final choice was simple:

Either Luo Weicheng or Xianglu will leave, and the latter means Wu Huineng will survive.

"All we know right now is that Luo Weicheng is trapped in that world." After a pause, Chen Ji said carefully:

"But that doesn't mean he necessarily died."

His tone was uncertain, and he had a lingering doubt in his mind.

We now know that the four incense sticks represent the four people who were directly influenced by the incense burner and whose curses were successfully cast.

Since the first three are already dead, theoretically, the appearance of the fourth incense stick means that Luo Weicheng is also dead.

However, the timing didn't match up.

Under normal circumstances, Luo Weicheng would almost certainly die, and he would die immediately, since Ma Zhao's sword was already at his head.

But if Luo Weicheng dies, the fourth incense stick should be replaced immediately!

Because at that time, Luo Weicheng was definitely killed by the curse, and his priority was much higher than Wu Hui, who was still alive!

But the truth is not so.

Only after the ghost baby was taken away by the incense burner and Wu Hui was confirmed to be safe did Luo Weicheng take her place...

Then it is not:

After Luo Weicheng's death, he replaced Wu Hui, thus ensuring Wu Hui's safety.

But:

[Wu Hui is safe] -> Therefore, the curse must choose another target -> [Luo Weicheng] to replace [Wu Hui].

The result is the same, but the processes and directions of reasoning are completely different.

If it's the latter, then Luo Weicheng might not necessarily be dead.

Or perhaps he escaped from Ma Zhao, but Chen Ji thought the possibility was extremely small, because Luo Weicheng had clearly given up hope of escaping in the end.

Or else...

"Ma Zhao may have a strong connection with the incense burner."

"It's possible that if the incense burner is taken away, Ma Zhao will also disappear, since that timeline was created by the incense burner—"

Chen Ji suddenly stopped halfway through his deduction.

He noticed that the atmosphere inside the funeral home remained somber and had not improved much despite his speculation.

After all, everything he's saying right now is just speculation!

Luo Weicheng released too little information. The only thing supporting Chen Ji's speculation was the time difference between the appearance of the two incense sticks, but that could also be due to other reasons.

They know far too little about Ma Zhao and the incense burner.

Moreover, Luo Weicheng's final words, "There is no solution," left a deep gloom in everyone's hearts...

Even if Chen Ji's speculation is true, so what?

Will Luo Weicheng be able to get out?

The mirror world was shut down, completely isolated from reality, and all that awaited Luo Weicheng was a slow death.

So even if Chen Ji put forward a new idea, it was just a false hope, and after that hope was shattered, there was only deeper despair.

Thinking of the trio of boys from Jia Guhe again, Chen Ji felt a complex mix of emotions.

How similar it is to the current situation.

But the difference is...

Wu Hui and Luo Weicheng's relationship is probably closer than that of the other three.

He instinctively shut his mouth, but just then, Wu Hui's hoarse voice suddenly rang out:

"As long as he's not dead..."

She quickly wiped her face, blinked twice, seemingly not wanting her emotions to affect others:

"This isn't over yet. Didn't you just say the main event starts after midnight...? Perhaps it's not that we haven't thought of a way out, but that the time hasn't come yet!"

Raising her head, Wu Huiyuan's face revealed a resolute expression she had never shown before, and she said, word by word:

"I don't believe that there is no solution for the domain."

Her eyes no longer held the initial bewilderment and confusion, but rather a near-blind persistence.

At this moment, Wu Hui felt an unprecedented sense of ease, as if the stagnant air that had been clinging to her since she entered the room had completely dissipated.

This means that the incense burner has become a complete unit.

It is also the first curse source that seems to have been completely fulfilled.

Without much explanation, Wu Hui stared intently at the incense burner, her eyes darting around.

No one knows what she is thinking.

A few seconds later, she suddenly reached out and tried to touch the fourth incense stick.

But as soon as her hand approached the wisp of white smoke, a sizzling sound suddenly rang out, as if she had touched a pan of oil!

Wu Hui groaned in pain.

"What are you doing?!"

Fei'er frowned and immediately pulled her hand away, but Wu Hui's fingers were already corroded, and the flesh was peeling off at a rapid pace!

If she had lingered for even a second longer, it wouldn't have just been her flesh and blood that had been corroded, but her finger bones!

Wu Hui shook her head and silently glanced at the fourth incense stick.

Without saying much, she quietly walked to the side to get a bandage to bandage herself.

Throughout the entire process, Wu Hui did not show much emotion, and it was clear that she did not want her own issues to affect the progress of the entire team.

Here, mourning is meaningless, and grief cannot help them leave the realm.

Everyone knows that the main event is yet to come... the real crisis will arrive tomorrow.

For Feng Yao, Bai Shaohua, and Liu Zi, it might have been even earlier.

Chen Ji glanced around the room and his heart sank.

Liu Zi and Bai Shaohua were far away from them, both with their heads down, but beads of sweat were visibly dripping from their foreheads.

Throughout the entire process, neither of them expressed any opinion.

Because they had used all their reason to suppress their appetite.

But even the strongest sense of reason seems to have reached a point where it's difficult to control the distorted desires aroused by the red bowl...

After thinking for a moment, Chen Ji quickly lit a brazier and threw in a piece of paper money. Soon, the smell of the burning paper money masked the bloody smell of Wu Hui's injuries.

Soon after, an unusually small piece of paper appeared out of thin air.

[At most once. No.]

It was Du Tingfeng's handwriting; just six simple characters filled the entire sheet of paper.

The question Chen Ji threw out is:

The remaining paper money can be used once more. No way has been found to take the cinnabar chopsticks out with you.

Unlike Huang Yue, Luo Weicheng did not appear in the "underworld."

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Dear readers, I apologize for the unstable updates over the past two weeks.

First of all, there will be no hiatus!

Due to unforeseen circumstances in his real life, Xiaogou was unable to focus on writing for a while, and updates became problematic.

The most difficult time is over, and I will resume normal updates starting today.

I'm very sorry, and thank you all for your company and for waiting...

P.S.: [Double Gate] is almost over and the final stage is about to begin.