Thinking such thoughts, Gu Zuo exchanged a meaningful glance with Gongyi Tianheng.
Tianheng faintly nodded his head.
Gu Zuo’s shoulders slumped.
Okay. This was most likely a fraud to lure in the others…
Off to the side, Suo Qian talked all about the organizations of the Central Continent and the capabilities of the Third Prince. Then, he turned his head and sighed: “As for the ‘Meat Viewing Ceremony’… I also know a thing or two.”
Speaking up to here, Suo Qian’s expression seemed disheartened. Moreover, it carried a trace of fear.
Gu Zuo thought to himself. He had probably come across a talent whose acting abilities were comparable to that of his big brother.
These facial expressions were quite true to life!
The armored soldiers who were guarding on the side didn’t block Suo Qian’s conversation in the least. They only had blank faces, as if they were robots that had been installed with automatic programing.
Song He, Yao Yao, and quite a few other people in the room were attracted by Suo Qian’s words just now. At this moment, they strained their ears in an attempt to obtain even more information.
Because Gu Zuo still had a teenaged appearance, he looked spritely and beautiful. He questioned further, seemingly impulsive: “Then, what is it? Brother Suo, can you talk about it?”
This person performed in this way, so he would also follow along and set up the punchline as the supporting role. He wanted to obtain the information as soon as possible to avoid wasting time.
Suo Qian foresaw that someone would definitely inquire since he was dragging things out and keeping his listeners in suspense. At this time, a slightly indiscernible flicker of pride flashed through his eyes as he tirelessly spoke: “Ladies and gentlemen, we all know that these ancient cities are the lairs of monsters. There aren’t any problems in the day, but when it’s night, the commoners turn into monsters. The Third Prince deserves to be called a prodigy of the Central Continent. His methods and means are many. I’ve heard that he’s keeping this tavern’s original owner, his wife, the waiters, and all of the guests who’ve come to stay here for the past two days in the tavern’s back garden.”
These guests naturally weren’t outsiders. Rather, they were the city’s common folk who behaved normally during the day.
While deliberately wearing a bit of puzzlement, Gu Zuo asked: “Brother Suo, you know about this as well?”
Suo Qian also anticipated that someone would call him into question, and he spoke with deep anguish: “Brother Gu, you might not know… Don’t look at how this room still has some people inside it — In actuality, this Suo is the one who had been captured the earliest. Thus, this Suo saw with his own eyes how a person who didn’t surrender was ultimately dragged away from the last batch of captives, and thrown into that, that enclosure of monsters!”
What happened next didn’t need to be explained in detail. Everyone present could fully utilize their imaginations. The bitter fate of that person was rehearsed within their minds!
Blood and flesh certainly went flying. That person had been completely…
Suo Qian’s voice was strained: “It wasn’t even ten minutes. That, that young lady had been torn apart and eaten by the monsters. Her entire body, her flesh and even her bones, were all chewed up and swallowed!”
In the blink of an eye, many people couldn’t help but feel somewhat sick and disgusted.
Some with sharp minds even thought of that young lady whom Suo Qian mentioned — In other words, the people here weren’t only ruthless, they didn’t have the tiniest bit of protective feelings for that gentle and jade-like woman. It was clear that they had hearts of stone! As such, when it came to men like them, those soldiers would naturally be even less charitable.
Suo Qian was satisfied with everyone’s reactions, but he also didn’t say too much. He only assumed a timid and fearful appearance as before: “This Suo and everyone here are the same. We’re all part of the next batch of captives. That Third Prince definitely won’t keep us here for long. After thinking about it, they’ll probably only give us this one day to consider it. Once it’s night, if we still don’t surrender, I’m afraid we’ll have no choice but to experience that Meat Viewing Ceremony personally!”
The Meat Viewing Ceremony was used to threaten every subsequent batch of captives. It made them watch as the people whom they had just been bantering with were thrown into the pile of monsters at the next moment. It was a ceremony where their flesh was eaten mouthful by mouthful.
In fact, it was just a revealing method to force people into surrendering…
After listening to Suo Qian’s words, the complexions of Song He and others became furious.
If they didn’t comply and were killed, then in any case, it would be a straightforward death. However, if they were forced to personally watch as their own flesh was consumed by monsters — Considering how powerful a martial artist’s vitality was, perhaps they wouldn’t perish until their brains were devoured — That truly challenged their psychological bottom line.
After their expressions changed several times, a restrained voice finally sounded out: “What’ll happen if we give ourselves to that Third Prince’s subordinate?”
Suo Qian’s heart was elated, but his mouth spoke in a sad tone: “Then, we’ll naturally become the Third Prince’s…battle slaves.”
Everyone here knew that they were being recruited by the Third Prince, but not everyone knew that the Third Prince was recruiting them to make them into his battle slaves.
To these geniuses, anything that was touched by the word “slave” was a humiliation.
At once, those furious complexions turned ashen. There were even a few people whose hair practically stood up in anger. They all rose up in one bound! However, while their rationality barely allowed them to restrain themselves, they were still trembling all over in rage.
Gu Zuo was somewhat puzzled, and he couldn’t help blinking his eyes.
[Big brother, that Suo Qian is clearly a fraud. Why would he tell us about becoming battle slaves? Wouldn’t it be better to conceal this matter?]
Tianheng faintly shook his head.
[If it isn’t talked about now, they’ll naturally find out after surrendering. At that time, regardless of whether the others silently endure while harboring evil intentions or they rebel right away, both cases are unsuitable. It would be better to make things clear in the beginning. Those who aren’t willing to surrender would be immediately thrown to the monsters to be eaten. This would save a lot of trouble.]
Gu Zuo still didn’t quite understand.
[Could it be that the Third Prince doesn’t have any methods of controlling people?]
The corner of Tianheng’s mouth curled up.
[If he wants to use that kind of method, wouldn’t it be better to directly control people at the very beginning? There also wouldn’t be any need to gather and imprison these fellow travelers here. What’s more, there are countless types of methods in this world. Any method that can control people and not harm one’s aptitudes is certainly extremely rare. Don’t focus on how Suo Qian heaps praises on the Third Prince like a deluge of flowers, that Third Prince is, after all, only a person from a bronze-ranked organization.
[There might be the support of larger organizations behind him. But with his age and strength, he might not be able to easily obtain this type of method. While he could obtain this method, perhaps this method must be accepted full-heartedly by the person being controlled. Otherwise, it won’t succeed. We just don’t know.]
Gu Zuo understood a little bit. However, he suddenly thought of something.
[Then, big brother’s Tianlong Guards…]
Tianheng ruffled his hair.
[The Tiandu Body is different from him. The Tianlong Guards also have undivided loyalty.]
Gu Zuo considered this, and agreed.
The Tianlong Guards were given to his big brother by the Gongyi Clan to be raised as his personal guards from when he was a child. The Tianlong Guards were totally unlike these people who were subdued along the way. They couldn’t be placed in the same category at all!
After Suo Qian spoke those words, he felt that he had added enough fuel to the fire. He closed his mouth and didn’t say anything else. He simply acted out a posture of being “immersed in sorrow and helplessness”.
Of course, this wasn’t the first time he had performed with others like this — In actuality, he hadn’t spoken many lies. At the very least, there indeed was another batch of people who had been captured yesterday. At that time, he performed with those people, too. Unfortunately, because that batch of people might’ve just arrived, they were all unbridled and untamable. As a result, they were ultimately fed to the monsters.
This time, Suo Qian’s methods were upgraded. Later on, once night had fallen, if these people still couldn’t take what was being offered, then the Fourth Commander really was going to toss these disrespectful people into the pile of monsters one by one. This would increase the maximum psychological pressure on anyone who came later.
Although the complexions of the other martial artists were unsightly, their gazes flickered with indecision. It was clear that they were all undergoing a fierce struggle.
Only Gu Zuo gave a sweeping glance over these people’s displays. Then, he continued the voice transmission with Tianheng.
[Big brother, when will we escape?]
There was no need for doubt. They definitely needed to find a gap and escape before they were fed to the monsters. Otherwise, it would be too late once night fell.
Tianheng lowered his eyes.
[Let’s wait a little bit more. Now really isn’t the best time to escape.]
Gu Zuo was a little nervous.
[When does big brother think it’s better to go? How will we leave?]
Tianheng pondered slightly, and made a decision.
[Ah Zuo, find an opportunity to release the strongest poison pills you have right now to poison everyone here without exception. Then, give the antidote to Song He and the others. Following which, we’ll act together and kill our way out of here.]
Gu Zuo thought it over, and silently nodded.
[In that case, I choose this type. After being poisoned, a person will be able to support themselves for three to five seconds. After that, they’ll be able to lift their hands, but they won’t have any strength to walk.]
Tianheng wore a look of praise.
[Ah Zuo’s thoughts are thorough.]
After the two sat down and resolved themselves, time seemed to pass slower and slower.
Because the matter of their voice transmission couldn’t be revealed, they couldn’t secretly discuss anything with the others who were also trapped. As a result, the timing was truly difficult to grasp.
Gu Zuo sat on top of Tianheng’s thighs, yet he felt like he was sitting on pins and needles.
Obviously, they wanted to escape, but as it happened, there wasn’t any time for them to easily act on it. This matter was constantly on his mind, so his mentality naturally became tense.
However, this type of feeling was only a feeling. The present Gu Zuo had experienced many things in comparison. When the strengths of the people who trapped them weren’t that high, he still had some confidence.
Gradually, time stretched out longer and longer.
Outside, the radiant light in the sky began to set over the western hills. Not even two hours passed when the curtain of night was about to officially descend. The time of that accursed Meat Viewing Ceremony was surely approaching.
Gu Zuo’s psychic power silently spread outside, and discovered that the armed forces of the entire tavern were actually decent. There were no less than several dozens of people who came to guard the place. Merely, the majority were downstairs. Only less than ten were keeping guard on the same floor as them.
Under the circumstances, the armed forces weren’t that adequate. It had to be said that this way of handling things was considered a tight defense.
But this also made it convenient for Gu Zuo and Tianheng.
[Big brother, within a radius of five hundred meters, there’s only a small number of armored soldiers. The Fourth Commander and them aren’t in the vicinity. I also haven’t detected any people in hiding.]
[Very good. Ah Zuo, let out your pills!]
The next instant, three or four pitch-black medicinal pills smashed into the floor. Suddenly, numerous tendrils of black smoke ignited. It was a type of poison fog. It couldn’t be said that this trick wasn’t insidious.
Although those armored soldiers were dressed in armor, because they hadn’t taken Gu Zuo seriously from the start, they also didn’t dodge. As a result, they all let out muffled groans, and collapsed to the floor in loud thumps.
Gu Zuo didn’t remain idle. He bent his fingers and repeatedly shot out many milky-white medicinal pills, which were distributed to the Peripheral Continent martial artists who’d been similarly poisoned.
Those martial artists weren’t stupid, and they swallowed the pills right away. In a split second, the powerlessness and sharp pains in their bodies were already alleviated. If there were still any differences, then it wouldn’t be too late to discuss it again when that time came!
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