Chapter 302: Zhang Jiulin Makes His Move (1/2)

Xiaotao shouted at the top of her lungs, ”Put on your headphones now!”

We placed the headphones over our ears, having already prepared them. Turning up the volume to the max, the deafening tune of ”Little Apple” played in our ears, but it wasn’t enough to block out all sounds completely. To our despair, the music from the xun penetrated the headphones and entered our eardrums, the irresistible tune seeming to resound throughout the warehouse due to the reflecting sound waves.

The effect of the Heartbroken Xun seemed stronger than last night. Not only could the sounds be heard but also seen, but the air around us fluctuated like ripples. Under this influence, the room around us appeared distorted.

I felt as if all the blood in my body was boiling, my heart racing like a freight train. The blood vessels in my temples throbbed as intense grief gripped my heart, making it feel like it would soon tear apart.

When I turned to look at Xiaotao, I found her kneeling on the ground, tears streaming down her face, her entire being wracked with pain. The others showed the same anguished expressions, and several officers even took out their guns.

At this moment, we were all engaged in a gruesome battle against these invading emotions, too busy to save others. Bang! The first thunderous shot filled the air. A young officer held the muzzle of his gun in his mouth and committed suicide. The warm, metallic scent of blood drifted into my nose, sweet and attractive like a bewitching invitation. My heart was aroused by an irresistible impulse to die, and in the face of this overbearing impulse, all reason became utterly vulnerable.

I watched helplessly as Xiaotao raised the gun to her lips in a trance. At this point, my feelings for her overwhelmed my instinct to kill myself. I threw the gun aside and held her hands down, desperately shaking my head at her.

My remaining rational thought told me that staying in the warehouse any longer would only result in all our deaths. I flung off my headphones and shouted, ”Get out of here! Go now!”

Right then, a loud voice drowned out mine. ”Evil demon! How dare you stir up havoc! Everyone, take off your headphones and chant after me!”

Zhang Jiulin entered the warehouse like some sort of powerful immortal. I wasn’t sure if it was an illusion, but his entire body seemed to be enveloped in an invisible aura that could resist the demonic music. In the warehouse where the deadly tune had invaded every nook and cranny, only he appeared unaffected!

Many officers reflexively aimed their guns at him, to his utter disregard. “Repeat after me if you don't want to die!” he shouted.

”Why should we trust you?” yelled Director-General Cheng.

”I’m risking my life to save you,” he yelled back. “You can believe me or not!”

His voice was deep and mysterious, reaching the depths of my heart like a warm current that eased the grief and despair. I quickly repeated after him.

The officers began to chant along. The mantra fell from our lips, converging and buzzing throughout the warehouse, struggling to resist the ubiquitous demonic music. I felt as if my insides were trembling as a warm breath circulated in my body–a feeling of incomparable lightheartedness.

We tried our best to focus on reciting the mantra. Many officers sat cross-legged like Zhang Jiulin. When the last note of the deadly tune rang, everyone slumped in relief.

Only then did I find my face wet with tears, hands trembling like a leaf. Zhang Jiulin walked up to me and asked softly, ”Are you alright?”

”How does it work?” I asked.

He laughed, ”You’re obsessed with knowing the scientific principle behind everything. But I’ve already told you that the Heartbroken Xun is a Yin object. The Tao Te Ching can stabilize your mind, but it’s only temporary.”

”Temporary?” I frowned.

”Didn't you notice that the power of the Heartbroken Xun is getting stronger?” he asked. “The more people it kills, the more powerful it becomes. If I didn’t step in, you’d all be dead.”

He glanced at the headphones on the ground and chuckled, ”I can’t believe you came up with such a plan to block your ears and steal your xun...”

”Why have you come to save us?” interrupted Director General Cheng.

”Judging from the current situation, we’re on the same side,” answered Zhang Jiulin. “If we fight alone, we’ll all die!”

Director-General Cheng cast a skeptical look in his direction. As I lifted Xiaotao from the ground, I felt her wrap her arms tightly around me. ”Song Yang, that was terrifying!” she cried.

”It's okay. You’re okay,” I comforted. “If you die, I'll go with you.”