"We're here to help, not invaders from the underworld!"
Even as Cheng Shi made one last effort, the grand scholars ignored his explanation completely.
Burza let a sheet of black cloth slip from his cuff. A single flick — and the entire underground space plunged into absolute darkness. Wind whistled. Nelliel's silhouette flickered into existence beside Cheng Shi.
This was an Assassination Doctor. Her blade tip glead with a mysterious potion from the Creation Alchemy Departnt. One nick — and who knew if your body would beco the next flesh experint ground.
Cheng Shi reacted quickly. He instinctively stepped back to create distance, then snapped his fingers to swap behind the grand scholar. But Nelliel moved through darkness like water — her forward-thrusting dagger impossibly reversed 180 degrees and stabbed at his heart.
Cheng Shi frowned. Both hands ca together in the darkness, doing sothing. The next instant, the dagger that should have pierced his chest grazed past his side — missing clean.
Nelliel clearly hadn't expected the opponent to possess the ability to redirect her blade path. She disengaged on one strike, giving Cheng Shi no chance to counter. Then she lted back into darkness, awaiting the next opening.
Then — the entire underground chamber's fire elents began to boil. Moisture evaporated. The air grew so dry that the slightest breeze struck sparks.
Fang Yuan's staff blazed to life. Dawn-like radiance shattered every shadow and flooded the space with absolute searing heat.
The fla that marked [Civilization]'s birth once again sheltered civilization.
"Fire born of civilization — order eternal!"
With the cold prayer's echo, a solar storm erupted from the staff's "blazing sun." Countless fire threads whipped outward, streaking toward the three grand scholars.
The scholars' eyes darkened. Each employed their own ans to dodge the pursuing flas while continuing their attacks. But strangely, every assault aid at the two players veered off at the last mont — curving away or losing force. Every point-blank strike was neutralized.
Recognizing they couldn't defeat these two intruders without damaging this space, they retreated. Spreading out, they began chanting large-scale magic.
Now Fang Yuan's expression finally shifted.
"Tusnat's [Truth] Strangling Formation. That's a legion-grade combat asure. They're deploying it here — against just the two of us?
Do we warrant this?"
"..."
Cheng Shi wasn't sure about the situation either. Honestly, disposing of these three would be ludicrously easy. One snap of his fingers and Zangier would gain three cellmates.
But he didn't believe these were real scholars. Their every move reeked of puppetry — like marionettes on strings, being controlled to block him and Fang Yuan.
Without understanding the experint's status — or even confirming whether eliminating the scholars would affect it — Cheng Shi couldn't simply erase the threat. So he leaned toward Fang Yuan:
"How long can you hold alone?"
Fang Yuan's pupils shrank. Darkly: "Can't hold."
"..." Cheng Shi shot him an annoyed look. "You forget I'm a liar? What's the point of lying to ?
If you hadn't imdiately torn open the void to escape, you can definitely hold them. Just 3 — no, 5 minutes. I'll rush inside and assess the situation. After 5 minutes, I'll help you clean up. Deal?"
Fang Yuan paused. His eyes flicked toward the passage behind Asgis: "You can get through?"
Cheng Shi nodded. He raised his hand — four dice pinched between his fingers — and flicked. The four dice shot past Asgis like arrows that never fell, vanishing into the darkness beyond.
Fang Yuan's frown deepened.
"I can hold 3 minutes. But tell
— how did you deflect their attacks? Fate Weaver, I didn't see the rumored Go Lis or your warrior-like combat skills this ti.
Your defense thod looks more like..."
"?"
'Knowing this much detail — the Order Alliance president's done his howork on .'
"A secret." Cheng Shi cut him off with a mysterious smile. "I said I could watch your back, and I can.
Trust
— I say 5 minutes, it'll be 5 minutes!"
A snap — and Cheng Shi vanished. Fang Yuan's square jaw stretched long. He howled down the corridor:
"3 MINUTES! One second longer and you'll be collecting my corpse!"
His roar echoed through the vast underground. No reply ca from Cheng Shi — only the grand scholars' chanting gradually swelling to drown it out.
With no retreat, Fang Yuan took a deep breath and pulled from his personal space a golden key. Hooking it on his finger, he addressed the three grand scholars:
"Stand down, gentlen. This is the key to the Wrath of Abomination's prison — and a special version blessed by the Iron Law of Order. I trust you know what that ans.
Correct. The mont I crush it, unceasing teor fire rain will flatten all of Tusnat. Turn it into purgatory.
Then — whoever you are, whichever side you're on, whatever you're planning — I guarantee you'll fail.
But I can also let your plans continue. Grand scholars, all I need is 3... 5 minutes of ceasefire."
By this point, Fang Yuan's voice was practically grinding through his teeth.
"Stop for 5 minutes. Stand here. Whatever happens inside — once 5 minutes pass, you can resu whatever you wish. Deal?
[Order] above — we don't need to fight. That's [War]'s job. As fellow losers to the Kingdom of War, I imagine you share my distaste for that warmongering [War] will."
Negotiation. In many ways, it was an advanced tool combining offense and defense. Especially in higher-tier matches, opportunities for negotiation multiplied.
Whether it would work — no one could say.
He'd also realized these three grand scholars were clearly puppets. Who controlled them was still unknown, so he had no certainty they'd agree.
Still, he was already preparing a backup combat plan. Brute-forcing 5 minutes seed possible.
But then — the three grand scholars suddenly stopped chanting. As one, they looked contemplatively at the key in Fang Yuan's hand.
"You won't succeed."
Asgis dropped those words, then froze in place — motionless.
The other two stepped back, pressing themselves flat against the walls like puppets hung on hooks. Silent. Still.
Staring at this eerie tableau, Fang Yuan couldn't help wondering: who exactly was controlling these grand scholars?
...
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