novelLayer upon layer of doubts
| ← Ch.0941 | Ch.0943 → |
Translator: Exodus Tales Editor: Exodus Tales
"Who are you?" Liu Ping asked.
"Hehe." Kintaro stood up proudly, "You all will know my name in the future. Now, is your second trial. Once you pass, there will be rewards. If you fail, then you will die here."
"Trial?"
Everyone's eyes twitched.
Hold on...
This situation doesn't seem to make sense though.
It's easy to understand if it was some powerful esper trying to train and cultivate their underlings, but a beast? A beast in a Great Despair? Mankind and beasts were clearly enemies!
Knowing they were enemies, he didn't even attack but wants help to train them instead?
Would you believe it?
Whether you believe it or not, I would never believe it!
Everyone had a vigilant look.
"Oh, having said that..." Kintaro suddenly continued, "Originally, I was waiting for a few brats from the wolf tribe to come back from the trial, but never I thought that they wouldn't return, and I would meet you all instead. However, for me, my job is just to start the trial. So, you all can consider whether to participate or not."
Everyone looked at each other.
Sure enough, this trial was prepared for the beasts, and they just happened to be present at the right time.
As for Su Hao and Zheng Tai, they were even more shocked because they suddenly remembered the few beasts they encountered before the disaster. It couldn't be...
Those panicked beasts, the ones who escaped from the Great Despair?
Wait, the Great Despair can't be opened like that right?
Based on the previous assumption, the Nine Snakes would open the Great Despair, and it would close when the time was up. The undead had delayed them for so long, and the Great Despair couldn't stay open forever, Yet, they managed to find the entry. Then, that could only mean one possibility.
Su Hao frowned slightly.
The clues revealed by Kintaro were little, and the clues they saw were also very few.
Ding~"
"Data analysis..."
"Deduction begins..."
"Analysis completed..."
The familiar flow of data was shown in front of Su Hao's eyes.
After so many years, he had long been used to such days, running his smart computer like crazy to assist in deductions, and Su Hao soon came to the most probable answer.
Timeline: When Huangliang City was in its norm.
Members of Nine Snakes arrived and opened Huangliang Despairs. Some people stepped into Huangliang Despairs, and some remained outside to stop anyone from entering.
Huangliang Despairs was closed after they entered.
Timeline: Huangliang City was destroyed.
In order to prevent others from entering Huangliang Despairs, Nine Snakes directly destroyed Huangliang City, turning it into ruins and setting up a battle against the undead at the same time. In fact, if Su Hao and the others didn't come, Nine Snakes' plan would have been a success.
The huge battle of undead was able to be stopped, but Nine Snakes wasn't affected much at all.
The problem was they didn't know that when they detonated Huangliang City, several giant wolves who were close to the entry gate panicked and took the opportunity to escape from Huangliang Despairs. This caused the entry to Huangliang Despairs to open again thanks to the desperate wolves.
Because of this, Su Hao and the others could enter.
If so...
The wolf tribe was already the owner of Huangliang Despairs.
For Huangliang Despairs to be able to be opened by the wolf tribe, it already explained the problem. After opening, Huangliang Despairs was in a waiting state and it won't close until someone enters.
Su Hao suddenly recalled the wolf he encountered earlier.
Although they felt different, that wolf was a creature born from Huangliang City. Thus, it must have thought of itself as a member of the wolf tribe. However, why didn't it take action after that?
This was also a huge problem because if Huangliang Despairs really belonged to the wolf tribe, then Su Hao and the others would have been tied up and placed in front of the Wolf King.
"I can't analyze it."
Su Hao thought for a moment and could only give up in the end.
Something must have happened to that wolf that it couldn't take care of other things. This was a great opportunity. Su Hao didn't know that he had actually guessed correctly. The reason why that wolf was too busy to take care of things was because it had been captured together with a silly guy.
Right now, Su Hao was considering a more important issue.
Should they fight against Kintaro?
The odds were five to five, and that didn't include Kintaro's possible helpers.
It was so obvious from this guy's sly eyes that Su Hao could see the lazy aura overflowing from inside. To be precise, he was simply a lazy wolf. If they were to fight, this wolf would probably yell for a group of wolves and then flee without fighting.
At that time, it would be even more difficult.
More importantly, Su Hao didn't feel any killing intent from that wolf at all.
This wolf, something about him was amiss.
Today's trial, whether it was the previous reward or the current harvest, those were all prepared for the members of the wolf tribe undergoing the trial. Su Hao and the others just happened to be at the right place at the right time. However, if everything was true, Su Hao didn't mind using the wolf tribe's trial to improve himself.
After all...
The previous reward wasn't a small amount.
Su Hao looked at the 600 units of Rule Force in his body and quickly made a decision.
"Should we fight?" Liu Ping was already ready to attack.
"No." Su Hao shook his head, "Let's see what is actually happening first. Anyway, since we have reached their territory, why not have a look at what the trial is all about. If it sets us up to kill each other, then its purpose would be exposed, but if it's something else, I don't mind going for a look."
"You believe him?" Liu Ping asked quietly.
"I don't trust him." Su Hao smirked, "But... is there any situation worse than the current one?"
Liu Ping froze for a moment and then smiled bitterly. Wasn't that true?
They had already met a level three world esper now. It was obvious that with one shout, his underlings would charge in. Is there any situation worse than this?
No!
In that case, why not give it a try?
"Alright, then we will give it a try." Liu Ping looked at Kintaro, "Whatever trial is it, come and let us see."
"Now, that's the right attitude." Kintaro smiled, "Everyone, let's go!"
Boom!
Kintaro waved his paw.
Endless golden light flashed. Within the hall, the patterns on the surrounding walls suddenly started to rotate. The huge roulette pattern under everyone's feet also began to slowly rotate. One could see a touch of golden light escaping from the gaps.
The golden light suddenly intensified.
Buzz~
When everyone's vision was restored, the surrounding scene had already changed.
Looking around, one could see yellow sand everywhere. The hot temperature seemed to bake the ground. Under such high temperature, one could even see the air twisting.
"We're out?"
Everyone was stunned.
A world esper knelt down and touched the sand, "It doesn't look like an illusion."
"What do you think?" Liu Ping looked at Su Hao.
"Two possibilities." Su Hao sounded as calm as ever, "First, this is an illusion created by Kintaro. Second, this is the second part of Huangliang Despairs."
"Why can't it be we were sent out?" That world esper said in an annoyed tone, "This is clearly not an illusion."
"I am just analyzing the possibilities." Su Hao shook his head, "As for why we're not sent out, that's because... the shield is still here."
Everyone came to their senses. Having a closer look, that was really the case.
The shield was still present.
Then, they were still within Huangliang Despairs. If the first possibility was denied, then this place isn't an illusion, so this would be the second part of Huangliang Despairs.
Desert.
After the main hall, the next place actually turned out to be a desert?
How could this place be a trial?
Su Hao suddenly recalled Kintaro. Yes, in the end, he still underestimated the degree of that guy's laziness. Not only was he too lazy to fight against them, but he was also too lazy to move. What's with that nonsense trial, this was simply letting everyone pass.
"If this is the second part, then that wolf..." Someone was reminded of this issue.
"Not sure." Su Hao shook his head, "This is one of two doubts regarding Huangliang Despairs. First, where did the members of Nine Snakes go? Second, why did Kintaro help us?"
"Since when did he help us?" Someone grumpily protested, "It was so obvious that he just threw us out."
"For a wolf, not attacking us is already considered a help." Su Hao sneered.
Many people came to a realization.
Yes.
No matter what, Kintaro is a wolf. However, he didn't attack them but sent them out of the hall instead. No matter which angle they looked from, that didn't seem right. Wasn't he afraid that Su Hao and the others would kill other wolves? Or perhaps, he didn't care at all to begin with?
Each step they took, a new doubt would appear.
Su Hao's thoughts were moving like electricity.
Last time in Taihu Territory, as long as one killed all the way down the path, that would be fine. What they needed to worry about was surviving the disasters because there was nothing else.
And now...
Nine Snakes.
Wolves!
Those two powerful enemies were hidden in the dark. No matter how one looks at them, it was clearly not a great occasion. This time, Huangliang Despairs would be even harder.
Nine Snakes, wolves, the exploration team...
This time, it was destined for a battle between these three forces.
"Don't worry about it too much." Liu Ping gave an order, "Since we passed that wolf, we will continue to move forward. Under this Great Despair, opportunities are always hidden within a crisis."
"Grasp it. Maybe you can raise another level."
"Yes."
Everyone's eyes lit up.
In the desert, this group of people moved forward once again.
This was an endless desert. One need not worry of a giant wolf's attack here because of the clear visibility, so there was no need to fear a sneak attack. However, based on Su Hao's knowledge, the most terrifying thing about a desert probably isn't a beast, but...
The natural crisis in a desert!
From his experience in Taihu Territory, in a Great Despair, the difficulty of a natural crisis would be increased by a lot!
"Be careful." Su Hao roughly reminded everyone.
"What's there to be afraid of?!"
A few world espers obviously didn't care. They were already in the world realm, which place had they not gone to before? Whatever nature, after they became world espers, everything was a joke!
What they feared were those world realm giant wolves!
"Speed up!"
Those world espers exclaimed, "After this desert, maybe there will be another stone statue..."
Before that sentence finished, they suddenly noticed a terrified look from their companions. Then, everyone quickly avoided their position.
"What happened?"
| ← Ch. 0941 | Ch. 0943 → |