Published: August 15, 2025
Chapter 83: The Great Trap
"Are you really planning to surrender?" Jia Tianlong asked, somewhat surprised.
"Surrender is surrender, but which side surrenders first—that's not so certain!" Sect Master Wang narrowed his eyes slightly, casually resting his hand on the sword hilt as he spoke slowly.
"What do you mean by that?" Jia Tianlong's face darkened. He then waved his hand, signaling a flanking maneuver.
Immediately, the iron guards behind him surged forward, forming a half-circle around Wang Juechu. At the same time, they drew their heavy crossbows, aiming the glowing green crossbow bolts directly at him.
It seemed that at Jia Tianlong’s command, they would unhesitatingly unleash a volley, killing Wang Juechu on the spot.
"Do you think after moving our sect’s main hall to Sunset Peak, we never considered the possibility of an enemy invasion that we couldn’t withstand?" Sect Master Wang ignored the crossbow bolts and spoke in a chilling, threatening tone.
Hearing this, Jia Tianlong’s heart sank slightly, a bad feeling rising in his mind. He didn’t interrupt but continued to listen with a grim expression, eager to hear what the other party was going to say.
"The one who relocated our sect here was Sect Master Li, the seventh generation sect master. Not only was he ambitious and capable, but he was also skilled in the art of civil engineering and mechanical contraptions—a true prodigy of his era." Sect Master Wang paused briefly, a look of admiration appearing on his face.
He then continued:
"Sect Master Li chose Sunset Peak as the site of the main hall for two reasons: first, the mountain’s terrain is treacherous, easy to defend but hard to attack—an excellent defensive position; second, within the mountain lies a miracle—a vast, naturally formed stalactite cave that occupies nearly two-thirds of the peak’s interior. Seeing this wonder, Sect Master Li devised a plan. Using his expertise in civil engineering and mechanical contraptions, he integrated the cave’s terrain to transform the entire mountain into a natural trap. Now, if someone activates the preset mechanisms, the whole mountain will collapse instantly, burying everyone on the peak alive."
After finishing, Sect Master Wang fell silent, his cold gaze sweeping over the dark crowd before him like he was looking at corpses.
Jia Tianlong was stunned. Naturally, he didn’t believe this story, but for the moment, he didn’t know how to refute the threatening words.
Those on the peak who heard this quietly began to stir. They whispered among themselves, and some sharper ones even started edging toward the only path down the mountain, preparing to flee at the slightest sign of trouble.
"Silence! Anyone who stirs trouble or causes a ruckus will be killed without mercy!"
Jia Tianlong quickly regained his composure. Seeing his men begin to panic based solely on Sect Master Wang’s words angered him. He knew that if he didn’t stop it immediately, the situation would slip out of control. Without hesitation, he shouted the order to restore order.
His trusted subordinates carried out his command decisively. After executing several cowards who tried to escape, the rest were intimidated into silence, and the unrest calmed down.
However, Jia Tianlong clearly understood this was only a superficial and temporary calm. If he couldn’t quickly prove Sect Master Wang’s words were lies, neither his gang nor any other faction would stay peacefully here. At the slightest disturbance, everyone would scatter.
"You don’t expect us to believe you just because of your words, do you?" Jia Tianlong suppressed his anger, preparing to expose the other’s deception personally.
"Of course not. I have evidence for you to see with your own eyes. But listen well—if anyone who sees my proof attempts to escape or continues to attack, I will have the mechanisms activated, and we will all perish together." Wang Juechu’s words brimmed with murderous intent; his threat was unmistakable.
Jia Tianlong carefully studied his expression, trying to find any flaw. Unfortunately, Wang Juechu’s face remained icy and unreadable, showing no sign of guilt or hesitation.