Seeing us retreat, the four predators seemed to realize what was happening. They abandoned their infighting and charged at us together. At the very last moment, we all scrambled inside the cage and slammed the door shut. One tiger still lunged at the bars—bang!—making the entire cage rattle.
When it realized it couldn't get in, it finally backed off. The four beasts circled the cage, stalking back and forth, growling low.
The cage wasn't large—barely four or five square meters. We barely fit. Each of us checked our injuries: varying degrees of scratches and bite wounds. Jasper had it worst. His calf was a bloody mess—a huge chunk of flesh had been bitten through, still attached by a tendon, dangling loosely.
I tore my shirt into strips and bound his wound tight. Disinfection and pain relief were out of the question—just stopping the bleeding was a victory.
Old Jasper's face was ghostly white, his body drenched in cold sweat. He didn't make a sound while I wrapped his leg—he must have gone numb from the pain.
The scent of blood from his wounds made the four predators outside even more agitated, pacing and growling.
"Is this bullshit part of the maze too?" I slammed my fist against the cage in frustration.
"Look over there." Selene pointed.
Following her finger, I saw a countdown screen mounted on the far wall. The numbers showed four minutes remaining.
Right—this was indeed part of the maze. When the countdown ended, the entire arena would fill with laser beams.
But where was the exit?
We searched carefully and finally spotted it—an entrance to a cellar beneath what would have been the gladiators' changing area, with a sign that read "EXIT" in English.
The marking was too conspicuous to be anything else. That had to be it.
But the cellar entrance was at least thirty meters away. How were we supposed to get there? The moment we opened the cage, those starving predators would pounce and tear us to pieces.
Forget thirty meters—we couldn't manage three.
Kill the predators first, then make for the exit? Pure fantasy. During our trip to White Ridge Mountain, we'd faced a single brown bear, and even with four of us working together, we'd nearly become its meal—and that was with Selene's bow. Now we were up against four predators with no offensive weapons at all, only defensive gear like shields and helmets.
Under these conditions, going out to fight them would be worse than lying down and letting them eat us—at least that would be quicker.
What were we supposed to do? We were trapped again. The countdown numbers rolled on coldly, counting down our curtain call.
"Let me go." Brother Asher suddenly spoke up. "I'll go out first and draw the four predators away. My Iron Bell should buy you some time."
I was stunned. "Brother Asher, are you out of your mind?"
He smiled calmly. "If I don't enter hell, who will? If someone must stay behind, it can only be me. The Buddha once sacrificed his body to feed a tiger—how can I do less?"
"But you..." A thousand words surged in my throat. "Weren't you sent by Morphine to monitor us?"
"Quite the opposite." He pressed his palms together, looking at me steadily. "I am a believer of Shiva—one of his followers."
"You're Shiva's follower?" That floored me completely. "But you... you also..."
"Correct. I took Morphine's orders and participated in the attack on Shiva—but that was all part of our plan. Shiva chose you. Someone had to witness that moment."
"So on the surface, you were Shiva's enemy, but actually you were there to witness that battle?"
"Amitabha. Exactly so."
I couldn't begin to describe my feelings. It was all so sudden. But it made sense in retrospect—no wonder he'd survived his encounter with Shiva. Then I remembered, "What about the other monk who was with you?"
He looked pained. "That was my senior brother—also one of Shiva's followers. But we couldn't let Morphine see through our ruse, or Headquarters would have retaliated. We wouldn't have been able to spread Buddhism in South America, and our home temple would have been implicated. So my senior brother chose to die—in order to earn Headquarters' trust."
There were so many layers I'd known nothing about.
Brother Asher continued, "I joined this Maze Trip for more than just clearing it. My most important mission is to ensure you reach Headquarters safely."
I practically broke down, shaking my head. "No, Brother Asher—I'm not the person you're looking for. I can't bear this kind of responsibility. I can't..."
"No, you can!" Brother Asher thundered. "You are the one Shiva chose. Whether you accept it willingly or not—you must carry on his will! That is why we became his followers, for this same goal. If Headquarters succeeds, if Neo-humans tear the world in two, that will be the true age of the extinction of the Dharma!"
Brother Asher finished speaking and reached for the cage door, ready to step out and offer himself to the tigers like the Buddha himself. I grabbed him, shouting, "Whether I carry on Shiva's will or not, I'm not watching another person beside me die! If I'm really a 'Yaksha,' I can save all of you right here!"
"No!" Brother Asher pressed down on my shoulder, stopping me. "You cannot awaken here! The side effects of manifesting the Yaksha are too severe. Your body can't handle it. Even if you survive this level, you won't be able to complete the rest of the trip! Remember your mission—you must get out of this maze!"
"But I—"
"Amitabha—" A sorrowful aura rose around Brother Asher's body. "After I die, I shall not fall into hell, but reach the realm of heavenly beings. I will be there, waiting for all of you."
He pulled open the cage door and stepped out. His muscles bulged, hard as iron and stone—the outward manifestation of the Iron Bell technique.
This physique immediately caught the attention of the four predators. They growled and lunged at him.
The countdown's numbers raced toward zero. Tears streamed down my face as Selene and I hoisted up Jasper Locke. I shouted, "Run!"
We stumbled toward the exit, not daring to look back at the carnage. From beginning to end, I never heard Brother Asher utter a single cry of agony—not even a sigh. He was as silent as the Buddha from thousands of years ago, willingly offering his flesh and blood to the beasts.
As the countdown hit zero, we plunged into the cellar. Behind us, the predators didn't give chase—they never would again. The entire arena was awash with laser beams, transformed into a lifeless hellscape.
I walked through the damp cellar, feeling that I now bore a debt heavier than Quinn's alone.
...
After enduring trial after harrowing trial, we finally completed the Maze Trip with time to spare before the 150-minute limit. Ragged and bloodied, we stepped through the final door—and were blinded by brilliant light.
When my eyes adjusted, I was stunned by the opulent grandeur before me.
The end of the Maze Trip was... a lavish banquet.
A colossal dome overhead was studded with crystal chandeliers that sparkled like diamonds. Every pillar seemed made of glazed glass, refracting dreamlike rainbow light. Even the most inconspicuous potted plants and sculptures appeared to be masterworks.
Over a hundred guests were seated—men and women, Asian and European—elegantly dressed, polite and refined, radiating an air of elite sophistication. Theyraised glasses in toasts, murmured in private conversations, or laughed brightly—the picture of perfect harmony. Servers wove between them like colorful butterflies, pouring wine and serving courses.
Seeing us enter, they showed no surprise. Some even raised their glasses in our direction.
We walked forward in bewilderment. People nodded at us, some gave us thumbs up. I didn't recognize any of them, but it was clear they were people of great status—the upper echelon of society.
Among the guests, I suddenly spotted a familiar face—it was Director Vance, the man who'd spoken with me at the Japanese restaurant. I hadn't expected to see him here.
Director Vance noticed my gaze and gave a slight smile, raising his hands in a slow clap.
I was completely lost, unable to make sense of any of this.
A server approached and said, "Congratulations on completing the Maze Trip. You are the fourth group to emerge—and the last. Please, take your seats."
Still baffled, Selene and I helped the limping Jasper to the seats the server guided us to.
An emcee in a tailcoat strode to the front of the hall, spread his arms, and announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the one-hundredth Death Trip celebration banquet. Every one of you here is a pillar, a backbone, the core strength of Headquarters! When the New World arrives, each of you will be remembered by history—your deeds will be written into the annals of glory!"
A storm of applause erupted from the hall.
The emcee's expression was impassioned: "From the very first Death Trip that Headquarters planned, to today—one hundred trips have been successfully completed. In these hundred trips, we have witnessed the burst of human courage and the wisdom of extreme survival. You could say that Death Trip is the touchstone on the path of human evolution!"
Another round of enthusiastic applause.
"As everyone knows, Death Trip is a crucial component in building the New World. Without these trips, Neo-humans wouldn't awaken, and the New World would never arrive. Therefore, those few individuals who have schemed to undermine our plans and sabotage our trips have made the path of human evolution all the more turbulent. But the tide of history is mighty—those who go with it prosper, and those who resist are crushed. Those who oppose Headquarters will ultimately be ground beneath the wheels of history. And now, please welcome the hero who eliminated Shiva—Ryan Knox!"
The hall erupted in thunderous applause. Every eye in the room fixed on me. Amid the chorus of praise, I rose in confusion and followed the server's guidance to the front.
The emcee patted my shoulder approvingly. "You not only eliminated Shiva, but also completed the ultimate test, the Maze Trip, and made it all the way here. You must have a lot you want to say. Go ahead—what would you like to say to us?"
I looked out at the sea of expectant faces, all hungering to be moved, and felt an unbidden wave of revulsion.
I said, "I've completed the trip. I'd like my promised reward."
The audience burst into laughter. The emcee chuckled too. "The seven million? Don't worry, it'll be deposited into your account immediately."
"No, I mean the other reward. Visiting Headquarters—experiencing the ultimate mystery of this world."
The emcee's face shifted to one of approval. He nodded. "Good—aiming high. You truly are a representative of the Neo-humans. And now, I declare the banquet moving to the next phase. Please, everyone, witness the ultimate mystery of this world—welcome our great Creator!"