Chapter 485: Overt and Covert Conflict (3k)
The white chef’s voice was not loud, but it reached the ears of everyone below. However, hardly anyone dared to voice any objection. After all, how many people who could stand alongside the top boss would be weak?
“We’ll go in later. Don’t reveal your identities first. Absorb the Dream Cloud Pool completely before doing anything else.”
Seeing that the top boss showed no reaction, Su Jiu paid a little attention. In this place, strength was the rule. Even if a few old-looking youngsters appeared inside, she wouldn’t be too surprised.
They were all young people, after all. It wasn’t shameful.
“Alright, I’ll guard you… As for the tomb’s formation, we’ll go after you’ve finished absorbing it?”
When it came to making important decisions, Bai Zhi mostly followed Su Jiu’s lead. She was well aware of her own limitations – she was prone to acting on impulse and understood that she was far less rational than Su Jiu.
“Regarding the formation…”
After a moment of thought, Su Jiu’s face showed a hint of contemplation, and she continued,
“It depends on who comes to notify us about the operation. If a Viscount-level Other is revived, it would be good if the Hark Gang’s person could control it. If not, you’ll have to step in and suppress it.”
“Let’s not go in yet. I made an appointment with that Western girl to meet here.”
Hearing Su Jiu’s intention, Bai Zhi contacted Rancy, who had arrived earlier. She couldn’t understand the Bear language, but modern mobile phones had real-time translation functions…
“Whoosh—”
As the crowd on the ground grew, people began to soar into the sky. The flowing crowds in the sky also increased, and from time to time, a strong individual would support an energy shield with external qi.
It was evident that most of them were led by a young person, combined with one or two Battle King powerhouses. Clearly, the main participants of this Dream Cloud Pool event were the students who had won the competition.
Su Jiu did not leap up like them. Instead, her gaze turned westward. A dozen figures rapidly streaked across the sky, and moments later, they appeared before the two. It was the Bear Country’s team and their respective guardians.
“You two are finally here.”
Looking at Su Jiu and Bai Zhi, Rancy, who was flying at the front, seemed hesitant to speak. The captain, wearing a black windbreaker, stepped forward slightly and said helplessly, “The guardians can only stay outside. However, it is rumored that several Battle King-level gang members have been allowed inside. If possible, I suggest we join forces and help each other.”
“In the world competition, wasn’t your entire team composed of ordinary people? If you obtain opportunities inside and have no one to protect you afterwards, hehe, those gang members won’t talk to you nicely.”
As Su Jiu was about to reply, the black-clothed woman behind Filly directly interjected, her voice faint. Her tall nose was slightly raised, as if looking at them through her nostrils, displaying a hidden arrogance.
“You…”
Hearing this, Bai Zhi’s face suddenly turned cold. A sinister glint flashed in her pupils, which were adorned with fine white flowers. However, Su Jiu placed a hand on her shoulder and said softly,
“You, who hasn’t even reached High-Rank Battle King, have the right to say that to us? You must not have watched the world competition, right?”
Upon hearing Su Jiu’s words, the black-clothed woman’s eyebrows twitched. She said indifferently, “World competition? Just a competition for children to play. I don’t have the leisure to watch it.”
Hearing her words, the students participating in the world competition felt a flicker of dissatisfaction on their faces, but they did not show it. The captain in the windbreaker coughed twice and said,
“Last year’s world competition was quite significant. Miss Su defeated a Cherry Blossom contestant who was close to High-Rank Battle King.”
“A character close to High-Rank Battle King appeared in the world competition? How is that possible!”
The black-clothed woman showed a look of surprise and turned to the captain in the windbreaker, trying to see any sign of a joke on his face, but failed – all she saw was a very serious expression.
She then turned back to Su Jiu’s half-smiling face, her expression instantly turned cold, and she said in a low voice, “Even if you have the strength to defeat that intermediate Battle King from the ivory tower, what does it matter? The combat power of you students is well-known, and you struggle even to fight a monster of the same level.”
Hearing this, Su Jiu glanced at the black-clothed woman, who was full of incomprehension, and then looked past her, at the guardians accompanying the students behind her. She saw the pride and disdain on their faces, clearly not thinking much of her, a world competition champion.
“Let’s all say less… Once inside, if we can cooperate with Miss Su, it would be a great thing.”
The captain in the windbreaker sighed inwardly, unsure how to be a peacemaker, as he still had to maintain the feelings of most of his team members.
However, his words fell on his teammates’ ears as if they were farts…
Sometimes, when people are convinced that food is bad, even if others tell them it’s good, they will stick to their first impression.
Ignoring them further, Su Jiu finally set her gaze on Rancy, who also had a hint of helplessness in her eyes. After a moment of silence, she asked with a light smile, “Do you think we should cooperate, or are they threatening you?”
At this moment, almost everyone’s gaze was focused on Rancy. She was slightly taken aback and looked at Su Jiu with some difficulty. As someone caught in the middle, she found it the hardest to act.
Her original intention was for both sides to have some support. Su Jiu would provide support inside, and the guardians of these students would provide support outside. Now, these students and the people behind them were showing extreme arrogance.
Rancy could feel the stares like thorns piercing her back. She sighed and then turned to the captain in the black windbreaker, showing an apologetic expression: “Captain, I did the job of facilitating the connection as you asked… Those people don’t respect Miss Su, so I can’t stay with you any longer.”
The captain in the windbreaker wanted to say something, but the guardian behind him placed a hand on his shoulder and calmly reminded him, “Young master, there’s no need to say anything more to a daughter of a fallen family. If she wants to associate with a bunch of mud monkeys who aren’t even nobles, let them associate.”
Hearing the words of the guardian behind him, the captain in the windbreaker gave a wry smile and could only nod.
These people simply didn’t understand how terrifying that demon king who dominated the arena was. In this situation, following the opponent was the safest.
Receiving this choice, Su Jiu chuckled and said again softly, “As I said before, your grandpa and I are old acquaintances. We can ensure your safety.”
While everyone was talking, many people participating in the Dream Cloud Pool had already rushed in. Su Jiu quickly led Bai Zhi and the other towards the inspection entrance. The entrance area was now occupied by a dense sea of people, and the constant commotion sounded like demonic music in everyone’s ears.
Among this sea of people, there were not a few auras that Su Jiu could vaguely sense. It seemed that this time, the Other’s tomb had indeed attracted many true powerhouses.
The three of them weaved through the crowd for a long time before stopping at the inspection point. The queue here was not too crowded, but the testing personnel were burly and fierce-looking. “Next!”
Rancy went to be tested first, placing her hand on the crystal ball on the table. Soon, she received a nod from the testing personnel and proceeded. Then, a stern voice called out, “Next!”
Just as it was Su Jiu and Bai Zhi’s turn, Su Jiu slightly revealed the token in her purse.
After all, Bai Zhi’s age could not be measured.
The inspecting personnel glanced at the token and blinked their eyes, as if thinking of something. Their eyes suddenly cleared, and a somewhat obsequious smile appeared on their faces: “Two young ladies, Third Master instructed me to tell you to head to the depths in about fifteen minutes. There are four formation eyes there. You will be responsible for two of them. Here are the keys. An Alchemy Master from the gang will guide you then…”
With that, he took out two blood-red conical crystals from his pocket and respectfully handed them over.
“Okay.”
Casually responding, Su Jiu picked up the two blood-red crystals, felt the strange aura on them, and thought to herself that Third Officer was truly cautious, only doing half the job when speaking and acting.
“Let’s find a cave towards the back.”
Su Jiu said softly to the two behind her and then headed towards the cave entrance illuminated by special luminescent stones. The path was all gray and misty. Passing through the gradually narrowing tunnel, the scene suddenly brightened.
Moments later, Su Jiu and the others stopped outside the cave entrance. Standing here, they could vaguely see some lights emanating from within the cave, which were illuminated by the green liquid in the small pits on the ground.
And here, many young people were gathered, collecting the green liquid in small bottles, which surprised the trio.
Su Jiu sensed that the green liquid contained little energy and frowned slightly. She then looked up towards the depths, where there were five different cave entrances, all seemingly leading to the deepest part.
Before she could ask about the situation, several people walked out from the deeper caves. The knit cap youth in the lead said unhappily,
“Except for the two richest pools at the back, all the others are occupied due to battles and competition. Everyone is filled with those world-class monsters. How are ordinary people like us supposed to play?”
“What can we do then? Let’s just collect this subpar stuff and drink it back home.”
His companion rolled his eyes and, like the people on the ground, picked up a bottle to collect the liquid. As he was collecting, he seemed to remember something and chuckled, “But you can’t say it’s all world-class monsters, right? Aren’t there three people inside who look quite old? It seems they are fighting for those last two pools…”
“Oh, oh, it seems like that’s not all…”
The knit cap youth passed by Su Jiu and the others and took out an iron kettle, saying with some trepidation, “A muscle man with heavy makeup is constantly chasing and beating up several Dragon Country people. That muscle man’s strength must be above Intermediate Battle King. He’s completely crushing them…”
His companion smiled and added, “Isn’t that right? It seems that muscle man is also a pervert, constantly bullying people… and asking a question—’Where is she?'”
“Where is she?”
Before he could finish, Su Jiu’s slightly cold voice sounded, carrying a hint of killing intent.
“What do you mean? Who are you?” The knit cap youth looked at Su Jiu, took two steps back, and asked cautiously.
“Tell me, where is that muscle man?”
The knit cap youth suddenly felt a slight chill on his neck. Looking down the black sleeve, he saw an extremely beautiful fingernail touching his neck, radiating coldness and bloodstains…
When did that happen?!
His pupils widened slightly. He was a High-Rank Battle General, yet he had no feeling of this at all…
Swallowing hard, he said with considerable nervousness,
“The fourth door from the right.”
