Chapter 44: Forming a Team
Li Qing and Giorno, wearing coral armor, climbed up in the rolling heat waves of the lava well.
Mother Earth is also very considerate.
Li Qing only held on for a few more seconds. The hot lava that was approaching under his feet was like the millimeters of mercury in a blood pressure monitor. It gradually stopped rising as the air pressure tended to balance.
The magma did not chase them upwards any further, and as the distance between the two and the "surface" of the magma increased, the rising hot wind was no longer as scorching as before.
Li Qing survived.
Together with Giorno, he climbed out of the lava well that was emitting thick sulfur smoke.
The coral armor on their bodies had been burned red hot by the hot wind. As soon as they touched the hard ground, they began to fall down like broken eggshells.
Li Qing patted the shattering corals on his body and couldn't help but look back into the lava well:
The lava in the well has stopped rising.
The surface magma that came into contact with the air was no longer as hot and bright as it was at the beginning, and there were faint signs of solidification.
This was exactly what Li Qing had planned from the beginning:
After the magma that surges up loses temperature and solidifies, it will naturally block the entrance of the cave and form a solid "seal" that is tens or hundreds of meters long.
However, what Li Qing did not plan for at first was that he himself was almost sealed in this cooled volcanic rock.
"Giorno..."
Li Qing turned around and said to Giorno very solemnly: "Thank you."
“That’s not necessary.”
Giorno replied very calmly: "Didn't you save me on the bus before?"
"You know... this is different."
Li Qing smiled and shook his head, saying everything:
He stayed to save people because he had heard the sound of fighter jets flying low over the sky, and was about 90% sure that both he and Giorno would survive.
And what about Giorno?
All Giorno could do by risking his life was to buy him a few more seconds.
A few seconds...
Without super hearing, how could Giorno know that if Li Qing lived a few more seconds, he could escape the meat's perception range?
He didn't have the ability to predict the future, so how could he know that if he bought a few more seconds, the rising magma would stop in time?
Of course Giorno couldn't know this.
He was just using his own life as a bargaining chip, relying on that faint and uncertain hope to gamble back Li Qing's life from the hands of death.
"Thanks."
Li Qing could only use his most sincere voice to once again thank this young man with a golden spirit.
"Um."
This time, Giorno calmly accepted Li Qing's thanks.
But he didn't waste much time on this:
"Now is not the time to talk about this."
"Hurry up and seal up this hole completely. Otherwise, when the American troops arrive, they will definitely be interested in this big hole with sulfur smoke coming out."
Giorno shrugged helplessly:
"You know, like in a Hollywood movie..."
"Whether it's the Alien, the Thing or the Predator, these Americans always like to dig out some weird things in some weird places."
As he said this, he ordered the Golden Experience to seal the entrance of the cave:
"Wood big wood big wood big wood big!"
The golden fist shadows continuously hammered on the ground, giving birth to countless thick and tough plant roots.
These roots grew and spread downward along the rock wall of the cave entrance, and soon they connected and intertwined with each other, forming a huge "cork" that was several meters long, completely blocking the entrance of the lava well that had not yet completely cooled down.
Seeing this, Li Qing didn't say anything more.
He hurried to move earth and rocks, covering the eye-catching wooden plug with a thick layer of mud and broken asphalt, trying to make it look no different from other damaged roads.
This project is not a small one. Fortunately, Li Qing didn't spend much effort sealing the piece of meat before, so he and Giorno still have a full minute to complete the construction.
"Oh yeah..."
While Giorno used the Golden Experience to help Li Qing fill the soil, he asked with some concern:
"What happened to that piece of meat? Dead?"
"Not dead."
Li Qing shook his head with lingering fear:
"This monster won't die even when it's soaked in lava. I can't find any way to kill it."
"Fortunately, it has now been completely sealed underground. As long as we don't..."
"never mind…"
He swallowed his words hard: "I can't set a flag at this time."
"That's good." Giorno nodded, but his expression was still solemn: "But... if I'm not mistaken, things shouldn't be over yet, right?"
There was no way Li Qing would provoke such a monster for no reason.
So Giorno knew that there must be more difficult troubles behind this matter.
"Speaking of which...haha."
Li Qing smiled:
"It's hard to explain in a few words, but what I can tell you is that this matter is related to your dream."
"Does it have anything to do with my dream?" Giorno was puzzled.
"Don't you want to be a gangster superstar?" Li Qingshen asked mysteriously, "Does the Passion Organization know?"
"Of course I know."
Giorno answered seriously, "My dream is to become a gangster superstar. How could I not know about this top gangster that rules all of Italy?"
"To be honest..."
Li Qing said in a slightly exaggerated tone:
"I just had a face-to-face meeting with the boss of the Passion Organization this morning, and then that cowardly sewer rat has been chasing me since morning until now."
"so…"
"I'm going to kill him and take down this gang at the same time."
"Oh..." Giorno nodded thoughtfully: "So that's how it is."
"..." Li Qing was silent for a while, then asked with some disappointment: "Aren't you surprised?"
"surprise?"
Giorno gave Li Qing a speechless look:
"After seeing the monster you just saw, I would believe you even if you said you provoked an alien."
"but…"
He gently stroked his chin, his eyes sparkling:
"I once collected information about the Mafia in advance for my dream. What concerned me most was the man who would become my enemy in the future and hinder me from realizing my dream - the boss of the Passion Organization."
"It is said that he is an extremely mysterious and invincible man."
"He has perfectly hidden himself under a mask of darkness and terror, and so far, all those who have tried to get information about him have met God in misery."
"And you..."
Giorno paused slightly:
"You were able to fight that man head-on without dying, and even escaped here safely."
"That is to say, no matter how much, you must have information about him!"
As he spoke, his usually calm tone became excited:
"You have uncovered a corner of the boss's mystery, and his myth of invincibility has almost been broken by you!"
"Without a doubt..."
"This is an opportunity, a great opportunity to defeat the boss once and for all, take over the Passion organization, and become a 'Gang-star'!"
"Li Qing..."
Giorno looked at Li Qing with his deep green eyes, his eyes flickering with determination:
"I will walk with you to realize your dream!"
"Forehead?"
Li Qing was a little surprised: "I haven't asked you for help yet, how did you know..."
"Is that even a question?"
Giorno extended his hand to Li Qing:
"We've only known each other for less than 20 minutes, and the boss's identity is Italy's most terrible secret. Anyone who knows the boss's information will be put in danger."
"If you don't want to ask me for help, why bother explaining such a sensitive matter to a 13-year-old kid like me?"
"Hahaha."
"Talking to smart people is worry-free."
Hearing this, Li Qing laughed heartily.
Following the "save the world" covenant not long ago, he once again tightly grasped Giorno's hand:
"Well then, Giorno Giovanna..."
"Let's smash the boss's head together!"
