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“Animal sacrifices were made All of the ancient sites tell us this”

“Animal sacrifices, not human”

“And who says those two are human? The contractor killed his own people The captain looked the other hile thefor the wicked”

The alcove where Quon sat was actually a large opening She could hear chanting co from behind and below hio, and now she was in the inner chae above the practitioners They could not see as happening in here, nor could they hear Quon speaking in his normal voice

r />There was a movement behind Quon, and Officer Su entered His eyes widened for just a fraction of a second upon seeing Hulan, then he covered his surprise with a s Quon “Xiao Da, they wish to hear you speak”

Without shifting his attention from Hulan, Quon raised his voice, and it corrupted into so beautiful, melodious, and otherworldly as it bounced off the walls “The waters of inundation are destructive in their overflow In their vastness they e the heavens with their floods The lower people groan and murmur”

Listening, Hulan knew the words were not his own, but the people down below recognized the ly

“Xiao Da, Xiao Da, Xiao Da…”

“We e yourselves the ninth and most ihteousness”

A low rumble of conversation rose from the lower cavern Quon s that looked like an ocean sponge and used it to smear Hom’s brother-in-laith his own blood

Hulan edged toward the platform where Hom lay The pulpyhis suffering The only way he could breathe was through as left of his nose Air bubbled through the bloody muck in the middle of his face The three wavy lines that composed the ancient character for river had already been burned into his forehead Keeping the gun aimed at Quon, Hulan reached down and touched Ho beyond physical pain pass over his face

“You can’t do anything to help him,” Quon said “He’s beyond redemption”

To Horisly task

“Michael…”

He held up his hands to silence her and said, “Please don’t say soet aith it”