Apart from Lu Zhi, the others echoed in unison, "You're saying the horses in this pool are sacred objects?"
Lian Yao nodded, as if recalling an unpleasant scene, saying, "I overheard them. Those people tricked a lot of people onto the island, claiming to be messengers of God. Those people haven't come out of the divine tower because the tower's doors haven't opened yet."
"But I think they're all lying. They treated people like livestock. They captured my brother..." Lian Yao's eyes welled up with tears, and she choked out, "Like... like capturing an animal, slitting its throat and bleeding it..."
Lu Zhi and the others thought of that scene. Looking at the corpses on the ground and the bloodstains around the blood pool, they could imagine the brutal spectacle.
"Messengers of God..." Lu Zhi murmured.
"You might not know this, but in recent years, many such people who call themselves messengers of God have appeared, doing all sorts of evil," Wang Cao Tian said with disgust. "In the name of God, they have deceived many ordinary people into believing."
Lu Zhi mused. Apostles and believers were different. The former represented God, while the latter offered their entire faith and devotion to God, being God's most loyal followers.
But if Lu Zhi remembered correctly, there were many false gods disguised as deities within the Cage, devious beings that lured humans into sacrificing their souls, devouring their souls to transform them into their own power, thereby controlling humans to do their bidding.
Apostles were just a nice-sounding term. They treated their own kind as livestock. What was the difference in cruelty between them and the devious beings?
"How many people are there? Is everyone very strong?" Jiang Yue's expression was solemn, as if considering whether they could kill those people one by one.
Lian Yao shook her head. "I saw about a dozen people. I don't know about the others. I wanted to escape the island and come back for revenge when I became stronger, but I couldn't get out."
Lu Zhi and the others knew very well that the barrier of this sacred island was likely set up by these demons who called themselves apostles.
"Senior Sister, I suggest we notify... the Special Department first." A hint of sadness and pity flickered in Lu Zhi's eyes. Man Luo seemed to sense Lu Zhi's distress, and her leaves gently touched his face as if comforting him.
Lu Zhi touched Man Luo and bent down to gather and piece together the fragmented corpses, then placed them in a clean open space.
Jiang Yue and the others exchanged glances and also began silently carrying the corpses aside.
Although Lan Yushan was scared, he endured the discomfort and lent a hand. Xia Zhi assigned him to guard the surroundings with Luo Shiyu, as they didn't know when those people might return, and it was safer to be vigilant at all times.
Lian Yao, with red eyes, picked up the severed arms, which were indistinguishable from whom they belonged, and placed them aside.
Time passed quickly as they were busy. By the time the sun was about to set, the sight of the bodies piled side by side made everyone's eyes red.
Although they didn't know each other, they were all compatriots. The loss of life was bound to make them feel heartbroken and sad.
Lu Zhi placed the last corpse and asked Jiang Yue, "Senior Sister, have you made contact?"
Jiang Yue shook her head and said, "This barrier probably blocks all signals."
"Should I preserve them with ice?" Luo Shiyu suddenly blurted out. Everyone was stunned and looked at him in unison, their expressions peculiar.
Luo Shiyu coughed. "It's not that the weather is stuffy. We'll be entering the divine tower later, and we don't know when we'll come out. Freezing them might prevent the smell of blood from attracting nightmare beasts, and it can also prevent odor... What? Is there a problem?"
Lu Zhi and the others repeatedly shook their heads. The somber atmosphere was dispelled by Luo Shiyu's remark.
"Brother Luo, you really think of everything," Lan Yushan said, giving a thumbs-up.
Seeing everyone agree, Luo Shiyu gathered frost in his hands and aimed it at the corpses. Visible ice rapidly froze the bodies.
The frost used by superhumans was different from natural ice. Unless the superhumans voluntarily released it or it was violently destroyed, it was generally difficult to thaw.
"All done." Luo Shiyu felt the air had become much fresher.
Lu Zhi walked to a tree with white leaves, picked a branch laden with leaves, and placed it in front of the corpses. A golden stream of light seemed to spill from his dark eyes. The sacred, compassionate, and merciful soft light was as if a high and mighty deity was grieving for the deceased and shedding tears.
At that moment, the afterglow of the setting sun shone on Lu Zhi from the side. His profile was filled with a sacred radiance that was impossible to look at directly, daring not to look directly, pitying all living beings and loving all people.
Jiang Yue and the others were stunned.
"By the way, can we try to retrieve the sacred object from the blood pool?" Lu Zhi turned around and saw everyone staring at him blankly. He touched his face in confusion, "Is there something dirty on my face?"
Everyone awoke as if from a dream. The scene they had just witnessed seemed to have given them a glimpse of the compassion that a true deity should possess.
But as soon as Lu Zhi spoke, that feeling disappeared, and he reverted to the junior they knew.
"Yes, we can try to retrieve the sacred object." Jiang Yue, who had come back to her senses, reacted first.
Xia Zhi adjusted his glasses and said, "I don't think it's necessary."
Lu Zhi retorted, "Why?"
Luo Shiyu pondered and replied, "Those people haven't returned after leaving for so long. Perhaps they have successfully polluted the sacred object. Even if we retrieve it, it would be futile."
Lu Zhi fell silent. "But I don't want the sacred object to remain submerged in filth. Since it's a sacred object, it should stand in the sunlight, it should be pure and flawless. The sacred object... probably doesn't like staying in the blood pool either."
Saying this, Lu Zhi walked to the blood pool, summoned Man Luo again, and quickly reached into the pool, encircling the horse's body and pulling hard.
"Let me help you." Wang Cao Tian quickly ran over, flexing his strong muscles. "I'm the strongest among us."
Lan Yushan also rushed over. The three adult men were superhumans, so their strength was naturally great. The stone horse statue at the bottom of the pool was three meters high and one and a half meters wide. Wang Cao Tian could carry it with one hand.
However, even with all their strength, the horse statue didn't budge.
"You three are too weak!" Jiang Yue couldn't bear it and went over to help. Even Xia Zhi and Luo Shiyu joined in.
Lian Yao propped herself over the edge of the pool and said excitedly, "It's moving, it's moving."
As Lu Zhi and the others pulled with all their might, the horse, buried deep in the blood pool, finally emerged. It was white.
Its entire body was smooth and white, and in the sunlight, the horse's robust muscle lines could be clearly seen. However, its pair of spirited, soaring eyes were blood red.
"Careful!" Lu Zhi noticed the horse's eyes suddenly moved.
Jiang Yue and the others felt a terrifying power erupt from the horse, making their scalps tingle. The force in their hands faltered. Flames ignited from the horse's hooves, and with a neigh, the stone statue actually came to life.
The pure white horse broke free from Man Luo's entanglement, reared its head, and soared into the sky. Flames engulfed its entire body, and its translucent white body visibly turned black. Its blood-red eyes looked down at Lu Zhi and the others with hatred, roaring, "Humans who defiled my body, you shall pay the price!"
The sky suddenly became overcast, and strong winds raged over the sea.
A magnificent horse, entirely black and enveloped in flames, fiercely stomped its front hooves downwards. A massive golden horseshoe print, carrying world-destroying power, descended towards Lu Zhi and the others.
Lu Zhi's pupils contracted sharply.
The wrath of God, mortals shall die.