Chapter 444: Choice

Instantly, deathly silence.

The moment Ji Jue handed over the reversed pistol, the originally crowded crowd seemed to stir for a moment, moving backward, as if it wasn't the gun handle pointing at them, but a pitch-black gun barrel.

No, even more than a gun barrel...

For a moment, those distinct faces all stiffened, as if they hadn't reacted yet, or as if they hadn't had time to understand the meaning behind this good news.

Opportunity, turning point, dawn, redemption.

It doesn't matter what you call it.

Sometimes, when such a crucial moment comes before one, what one feels in one's heart first is not luck and wild joy, but... fear.

Panic, unease, wavering.

In those hollow pupils, something emerged.

What if this is fake?

After escaping a disaster, they actually received such a surprise; everything was too beautiful to be real, yet it was right in front of them.

But, what if this is real?

The moment such a thought appeared in their chests, the impulse that had been eager to try suddenly froze and disappeared.

Only a hair-raising silence remained.

After getting used to failure and admitting defeat time and again, escaping time and again, and the endless displacement that couldn't be seen to an end, the suffering people would repeatedly tell themselves that they just lacked the blessing of the Holy Lord, lacked the same opportunity, and lacked the necessary conditions...

Even, giving up on themselves.

But now, when such an opportunity was entrusted to them, they discovered that from now on, perhaps there would be no more excuses for losing.

Then, there would be no more excuses for losing.

Even if there was truly the power to kill an angel before them, the tiny glimmer of light illuminated only a more inflated darkness and a more terrifying future.

Moreover, even if one could kill an angel, so what?

The disparity between the enemy and themselves was still despairingly huge; the resisters, like stray dogs, couldn't even be called a drop in the ocean; after fleeing in panic for so long, did they really have the confidence to clench their weapons and fight such a war with no end in sight?

Even, did they still have a chance...

To surrender?

At that moment, in the crowd, Linka raised her hand without thinking.

Ji Jue ignored her, even if she waved repeatedly and shouted his name, he remained deaf. This was not a place for her to appear, nor did she need to show miracles again.

In these few short seconds of delay and silence, Ji Jue was expressionless from beginning to end, but not surprised. There were too many people scared out of their wits, too many people wanting to escape reality... even in this dream, they still harbored childish fantasies, unable to face despair.

But the stiff crowd suddenly surged, heads moving; when some were stiff in place, more people squeezed forward without thinking, shouting, raising their hands, waving constantly, longing to attract Ji Jue's gaze.

And right among them, a hunched, short figure suddenly drilled out, fell to the ground, climbed up again, and moved forward on all fours.

Exhausting all his strength, he pushed the people in front away, and even, without any respect or restraint, crossed the original boundary, stumbling and climbing onto the platform.

On the immature face, there was still nosebleed from falling, the stitched arm was clearly not his own, and several fingers were missing.

The boy reached out decisively, toward him, almost demanding:

"I'll do it!"

In that rough and hoarse tone, there was a lack of upbringing, and an urgency like being burned by a raging fire.

It must be me.

It must be me!

Because, if it's not me, it won't work!

That look...

"Alright."

Ji Jue grinned silently, put the pistol into his hand, didn't care about the offense in his tone, and even, hand-in-hand, taught him to stand firm, set up his posture, and personally pulled back the hammer for him.

"Really, have you thought it through, child?"

He lowered his head and reminded him softly in the boy's ear: "You understand what you are doing, right?

After this shot is fired, the Heavenly City will absolutely not be able to tolerate you; even if you lose in the future, luckily escape, or surrender, even if you make greater contributions to them, you can only burn in the Border Prison forever."

For a moment, the boy's wrist holding the gun seemed to tremble, imperceptibly.

But immediately after, the veins popped out.

"Why, isn't it them burning in the Border Prison?"

The boy turned his head fiercely, looked at him, and questioned.

Then, decisively, he pulled the trigger!

Once, twice, three times—the heart-pounding loud noise suddenly erupted, causing the entire camp to stall suddenly, and in the lingering echo of the roar, other than the click of the empty cylinder, there was only a desperate wail.

Coming from within the angel's remains—

A small bullet pierced through the indestructible body, just like a red-hot steel needle, easily piercing the dream bubble.

And then, fine cracks suddenly spread, expanded, and covered the whole body.

The ear-piercing wail spread, one by one the incomplete pupils suddenly widened, and after the last trace of light was lost, only dead-fish-like emptiness remained.

The visible collapse began, but immediately after, it was swallowed and covered by the wriggling silver light, turning into a sculpture of death, standing before everyone.

He, or it, is dead.

At this very moment, in the silence, everyone stared blankly at the scene before them, and then, couldn't help but cheer and shout, hoarsely roaring, and even, hysterically waving their arms, tears streaming down.

The entire camp was nearly boiling, and on every face where shock had not yet dissipated, an uncontrollable joy and happiness appeared.

Celebrating and shouting.

Just like sparks spreading into an ocean of fire in the grass.

In the hot torrent of excitement and shouting, Ji Jue lowered his eyes, looking at the boy beside him, still holding the empty gun, his stiff fingers locked tightly on the trigger.

No joy, no happiness.

Just staring dead at the angel's remains, as if waiting for it to climb up again, to fight it to the death once more!

In the pitch-black pupils, only deeper hatred and resentment burned silently like firewood.

Ji Jue couldn't help but smile.

Gently stroking his hair, he patted his shoulder one last time.

Turning and leaving.

Truly a fine piece of jade.

He began to look forward to it.

Half an hour later, in the chicken-foot house, the old fogey's workshop was unceremoniously occupied by Ji Jue, who took it as his own, and even picked and chose, starting to dislike the internal structure and finding it inconvenient to use.

That's enough for you!

Bao Dacai rolled his eyes, watching Ji Jue unceremoniously rummaging through his bottles and jars, and hurriedly tucked the treasures he had saved during this time into his bosom, hiding them deeper.

But the furnace was too big to hide, so he could only let him use it.

It's just...

In the furnace, in the molten iron formed by the angel's remains, wails were constant, and faces rose and fell, merging with each other, turning into strange shapes.

"Living Spirit Refining?"

He pointed and gestured on the side unceremoniously, teasing and mocking, "Oh my, so familiar, really can't tell... I remember this is a taboo of the Association, right?"

"Funny thing, a Nirvana is talking to me about taboos."

Ji Jue sneered without looking back: "I kill Federation ministers and generals, I kill emperors and princes, but I know, I am a good person..."

"Don't talk nonsense, why are you putting such a big hat on everyone you see!" Bao Dacai started being stubborn again, refusing to admit it, and counter-attacking: "Whether I am Nirvana is one thing, but this hand of yours, tsk tsk tsk, damn, even in the Deep Abyss, you wouldn't be this familiar, right? Oh, it's just that there are no supreme goods in this Dream of the Yellow Millet; if you added a little blessing, maybe the Great Sin could come in person..."

"Then go report me."

Ji Jue rolled his eyes, puffed out his chest, straightened his collar, and asked curiously: "May I ask, are you going to report me, the current Artisan Chief of the Association, the Heavenly Artisan, the new generation pillar of the Association appointed by Old President Delong and President Gustav, for being involved with the Deep Abyss?"

"It's a good thing you didn't pull up the banners of Ye Xian and Tianlu, otherwise I wouldn't have a place to sit here."

Bao Dacai curled his lips, "If Jianyuan had even one-tenth of your hypocrisy, he wouldn't have run to the Deep Abyss, unfortunately, you don't have one-tenth of his openness."

"Tianlu? Jianyuan? Who are they? Not familiar, they sound like two dogs on the side of the road."

Damn...

Bao Dacai was dumbfounded, couldn't help but want to give a thumbs up; truly a student of Ye Xian, he has a hand for betraying his master and destroying his ancestors: "I hope you dare to say that to their faces."

"Then the question comes—"

Ji Jue smiled slightly, turned his head and asked: "How do you know I haven't said that to their faces?"

"..."

Bao Dacai's expression twitched, once, twice, and he didn't want to talk anymore.

Being so old, suddenly for the first time, he realized that everyone was an Ember, but among artisans, everyone's moral level actually had high and low...

Watching this dog thing Ji Jue picking and choosing in this workshop constructed by his own dream, doing whatever he wanted, throwing out all kinds of messy skills.

He only felt that the Association's Punishment Team hadn't gone to the coast to knock on the door yet; it was truly outrageous!

No way, Ji Jue also wanted to use something normal, but unfortunately, there were no relevant documents and underlying rules in this dream.

Operating directly with both hands could achieve effects through transformation, but for alchemy skills involving soul operation, if one wanted something simple, rough, effective, and easy to use, the Deep Abyss side often accounted for a little bit more...

Otherwise?

Otherwise, kill this old fogey beside him first and see if he can explode some Strange Tale Alchemy coins?

Forget it.

Things like alchemy have compatibility. Ji Jue knew with his heels that his compatibility with Strange Tale Alchemy was absolutely low enough to make people cry.

Three elements, three supreme goods, he didn't touch a single one!

"Hiss, it's too strange."

Bao Dacai leaned over, staring at the phantom light gradually taking shape in the black flame and blood fire, shaking his head: "Such a crazy thing, who do you plan to give it to?"

"Hmm, not sure yet." Ji Jue shrugged, "Speaking of which, I did see a good young man just now; he's a bit young, but the future is promising."

Future is promising?

Bao Dacai rolled his eyes; is it your turn to say others have a promising future? You're also a little fogey!

But... the current Ji Jue, I'm afraid, no matter where he goes, it's hard to be treated as an ordinary artisan. Whether it's the Heavenly Work in his hand, the bones under his feet, or the background he relies on...

Even if there's a banquet in the Association, he can move his seat to the front tables.

As for the young man he mentioned...

He thought for a moment and tapped his forehead.

"That child, I remember him."

"Is he famous?" Ji Jue was curious.

"In terms of being unlikeable? That's true."

Bao Dacai shook his head: "Doesn't obey management, doesn't listen to others, often fights with people, flips his face at every turn, like a hedgehog.

At first, everyone pitied him, but later, no one cared, letting him go to fend for himself."

"Tell me more."

Ji Jue lowered his eyes and stared at the furnace fire, waiting for the final purification to complete. ===== CHAPTER 445 =====