Strange game designer.

Chapter 790 Blood-Red Flames

Jingtuo evaded repeated investigations within the Municipal Council and secretly built his own faction. They opposed all of the Speaker's proposals and successfully split the Municipal Council when its prestige plummeted after losing the Black Mountain Forbidden Zone.

Jingtuo is the "loyal dog" of the Hanhai Investigation Bureau. He is determined to become the new Dream Ghost. He mobilizes his power and, under the pretext of helping the people control the restricted areas, enters various out-of-control restricted areas to collect the memories of the shrine owners, hoping to find their souls.

While Gao Ming and his group drew fire from the front, Jing Tuo Shen acted in the shadows. Later, he learned from the memories of the gods that the municipal council hall was a symbol of the dark rules. In order to obtain the complete dark rules, he began to plot for the position of chairman.

He used every trick in the book—force, intrigue, scheming—but in the end, Jingtuo Shenqi fell short by one move and committed suicide in his office in the thirteenth district.

Despite failing to secure the position of Speaker, Jing Tuo also significantly weakened the City Council from within, leading to a chaotic battle between numerous councilors and the forces they had bet on, shattering the 13th District's superior status.

"Are there still people from the Vast Ocean in the Dark Shrine?" Jing Tuo God was very well hidden, and he was not exposed until his death. He felt that he should be the last one to leave the shrine.

“There are still many.” Gao Ming lay on the ground. Even after recovering for so long, he still couldn’t stand up, and couldn’t even straighten his upper body.

After Jingtuo God, more ghosts from the vast sea returned one after another. The crimson color gradually penetrated the darkness, and at a certain stage, it suddenly pierced inward like a sharp sword. At the same time, more than thirty ghosts and investigators returned to the torture chamber, led by Bai Xiao, also known as the Night Watchman Black Crow.

Even though Bai Xiaoming was a member of the Investigation Bureau, Gao Ming was even more excited than Jing Tuo Shen when he saw him return. He grabbed the ground with one hand and slowly got up.

Seeing Gao Ming's "dark crawling," Jing Tuo seemed to realize something and stepped in front of Bai Xiao first: "Have you obtained the soul of the master of the Dark Shrine?"

Shaking his head slightly, Bai Xiao glanced at the darkness in the passageway: "Before the Municipal Council Hall targeted the Night Police, I led a team away in advance and found the memory core abandoned by the 'god' in the slums. The other party manifested as a disfigured female nurse, who was also the form of the Dark Shrine Master before she became unspeakable."

"Does that nurse have such a powerful background?" Gao Ming had suspected something was wrong with the nurse before.

"After the Fourth District was wiped out by the Mountain Lord, I became a new Night Watchman wearing epaulets, traveling to various restricted areas. Finally, based on the information left behind by the Night Watchmen, I rescued the first generation of Night Watchmen who had been imprisoned by the master of the Dark Shrine." Bai Xiao's gaze into the distance was filled with respect: "That Night Watchman came from the Blood City of New Shanghai. He was just a remnant soul, yet even the Unspeakable could not subdue him. No darkness could shake his belief. He knew that the master of the shrine would not let him leave, so he entrusted his last will to me."

When Bai Xiao opened his palm, everyone saw that he had an epaulet in his hand. It was all black, as if night had fallen. In the center of the epaulet was a city covered in dust, somewhat like the old city of Xinhu.

"A night watchman from Xinhu?" Gao Ming didn't understand the meaning behind the epaulette, but he could sense a special kind of inherited will within it. Even in death and with his soul scattered, that will remained. "The first night watchman came from Xinhu. He must have been protecting that city, his soul scattered, his body turned to dust, his will and obsession dissipated into the darkness, and he was captured and imprisoned by the master of the Dark Shrine." Bai Xiao solemnly put away the epaulette: "The Supreme Commander of Jingtuo God split the City Council, the Dark Order collapsed, I contacted two other surviving night watchmen wearing epaulettes, and together with several gangs, we besieged the Thirteenth District. In the end, relying on the will of the first night watchman, we launched a sneak attack and successfully killed the Speaker, ending the rule of the City Council."

"Wait a minute." Jingtuo stared at Bai Xiao: "You've already overthrown the Municipal Council, so why were you kicked out of the Shrine World? Why didn't you take the opportunity to seize control of the Shrine?"

“I can’t do it.” Bai Xiao gave a bitter smile. “I used every means to kill the Speaker, but overthrowing the City Council does not mean the darkness has disappeared. Those gangs turned their knives on me and other outsiders. Malice is rooted in the hearts of every citizen. Perhaps only by killing everyone in the world of the shrine can the darkness be completely eradicated.”

Some pessimistic White Owl stared into the darkness of the passage. Although blood covered most of the area at this moment, as long as the darkness in people's hearts remained, the master of the shrine was not truly killed, and the usurpation of the god was not successful.

“Gao Ming shattered the will of the gods and destroyed the dark shrine. Gui Yuan perished along with the gods’ flesh and blood. You split the dark rules. I killed the core of the gods’ memories with my own hands when I was dying, but this is far from enough.” Bai Xiao was in great pain when he said these words, but Jing Tuo God did not understand the reason for his pain.

“Now only the soul of the shrine's master remains in that dark city. That soul, representing the ultimate darkness, is the source of malice buried in everyone's hearts…” Gao Ming clenched his fist: “There is still a chance. We still have a chance.”

After Bai Xiao and the others left the shrine, the crimson color stopped expanding, while the black color stirred and grew tiny black tentacles that seeped into the crimson color.

The people inside the torture chamber watched closely. If the crimson figure was defeated, they would have to retreat immediately, as the Dream Ghost was not good at direct combat.

“Most of those who descended upon the shrine have returned, but the darkness has not yet dissipated.” Jingtuo God plunged a knife into his own heart, preparing to trigger his pre-planned backup plan: “We should immediately request assistance from the Investigation Bureau. If only one more Dream Demon arrives…”

“Do you think those old guys from the Investigation Bureau would risk coming here? Besides, if they all leave, the Unspeakable who monitors the Vast Ocean will definitely follow.” Gao Ming glanced at Jing Tuo Shen: “I know you want the Investigation Bureau to have a real Unspeakable. I gave you a chance, but you turned it down yourselves.”

"Let's wait quietly," Yan Xizhi said. The old lady disliked infighting, but no one listened to her. Then, Guiyuan's birthday candles were lit, and everyone quieted down. Guiyuan was a true pacifist who wanted to eliminate anything that was detrimental to peace.

The clock hands spun round and round, and Number Two in the torture chamber urged them on again and again.

A full month has passed, and the crimson color in the passage suddenly becomes dazzling. A small spark appears and then begins to burn fiercely. The crimson color paved with the deaths of the Han Hai Meng Gui and the citizens becomes fuel, turning the fire into a raging flame that holds its head high in the boundless darkness!
(End of this chapter)