The Hand Behind the Scenes
Chen Ling frowned and stared at Sun Bumian, and the air fell into a dead silence.
Chen Ling knew Sun Bumian must be hiding something. He even wanted to directly use [Paint the Rosy Face] to see through Sun Bumian's life script, but after hesitating for a moment, he still didn't do so...
No matter what, Sun Bumian was also Six of Diamonds, a member of the Dusk Society. This kind of method of directly prying into a person's deepest privacy was not suitable to be used on one's own people.
After being silent for a long time, Chen Ling still didn't press the matter, merely nodding calmly.
"Oh... I got it."
Everyone had their own secrets to a greater or lesser extent... Chen Ling and Jian Changsheng were like this, and Sun Bumian was equally so.
"Zzzzzzz..."
A faint electric current sound rang out from Chen Ling's clothes, accompanied by Director Chang's voice.
"Yes, yes yes... Director Chang, I also didn't expect them to come so suddenly..."
"..."
"Yes Director, I was inspecting the mechanisms of the Six Palaces of Qiaohuang at the time. Tu Tian and Fudi somehow found this place, and even brought several participants along..."
"..."
"No, rest assured, my reaction was very fast at the time, and I restored all the mechanisms at the first moment... But the situation was sudden, and I didn't have time to leave, so I simply stayed behind directly and announced the [Privilege] and the general rules to them..."
"..."
"Yes, they have already gone in, everything is going smoothly, please rest assured."
After Chen Ling coped with the organizer's questioning, he put away the Walkie-talkie. When he looked back again, Sun Bumian had already left the Dark Palace and disappeared.
Seeing this, Chen Ling also didn't go chase him. After all, they could only move within this Old District. When the final stage opened, they would still have to meet again sooner or later.
He turned back and used the central control panel to open the hidden door, arriving in front of those mirrors that could reflect every corner of the Dark Palace, and began to observe the situation of the crowd in the Six Palaces of Qiaohuang one by one...
Less than three minutes had passed since they entered the underground of the Dark Palace, but the first level was already littered with corpses.
"Casualties are nearly half, the progress is quite alright... But..."
Chen Ling rubbed his chin with one hand, deep in thought.
Within the Six Palaces, the majority were proceeding according to the level rules Chen Ling set up, but there were also some exceptions... For example, in the Fourth Palace, Tu Tian and Fudi directly joined forces, using the purest strength to resist the mechanisms. Instead, they shattered a portion of the mechanisms by shock and fell into another simple passage hidden by Chen Ling.
Tu Tian and Fudi each represented extreme strength. After the two joined forces, the power was even superimposed, making it difficult to withstand.
The two of them were obviously aiming for the [Privilege], prioritizing speed above all else. And with the two of them opening a path ahead, the other participants who had originally chosen the Fourth Palace also immediately followed.
Even during this process, the other participants also realized that the Qiankun Twins were two thick thighs, and actually began to consciously cooperate with them. There was even a Path of the Physician specifically treating the injuries on their bodies...
And precisely because of this, the number of participants in this palace barely decreased.
"It's the two of them..." Seeing this, a faint smile curled up on the corners of Chen Ling's mouth. He turned back and walked to that wall full of gears and levers, took out two blank signboards from the side, and rapidly wrote something on them.
"Back then it was you who forced me into a desperate situation... This time, it's my turn to play with your Dao Hearts."
After writing the two signboards, Chen Ling threw them into the operating machinery below, and they disappeared from sight.
...
Inside the Fourth Palace.
Over a dozen figures moved forward along the quiet corridor.
"These two are so fierce... As expected of the Qiankun Twins."
"It's normal, those are the young geniuses of our Dragon-Strangling Warriors. Many seniors of the Path of Force have placed great hopes on them." In the crowd, among three members of the Dragon-Strangling Warriors walking side by side, someone couldn't help but sigh with emotion upon hearing the surrounding whispers.
"Oh, you are also people of the Dragon-Strangling Warriors?"
"Yeah... The few of us came together, but compared to Tu Tian and Fudi, our strength is far worse... This time, we just came to accompany the run."
The three looked at that duo walking at the very front, a flash of envy passing through their eyes.
The three of them were all a bit older than the Qiankun Twins, but their Rank was only Fourth Order. After all, not everyone could have such terrifying talent. This time the Dragon-Strangling Warriors sending them along was indeed also intended to let them see the world.
After all, in the eyes of the higher-ups of the Dragon-Strangling Warriors, Tu Tian and Fudi were the true candidates for the [Heaven-Reaching Star Position].
"Then your Dragon-Strangling Warriors are really formidable to have produced such figures."
"Yeah, when that mechanism came out just now, I was almost scared to death. Luckily their strength is astonishing, otherwise it's estimated that over half of us would have died."
"Won't the referee have any objections?"
"They agreed we could use any means, who said breaking walls isn't allowed? Besides, we fell in by accident. We've walked this passage until now without triggering any mechanisms. Maybe we can arrive safely at the deepest part all the way!"
"Even if we arrive earliest, there is only one [Privilege]. More likely than not, we'll still have to fight for it..."
"Let's talk about it when we reach that step. For now, it's better to hug the big thighs tightly."
"..."
The crowd whispered, and their gazes towards the two people ahead also varied. Some worshipped, some envied, some harbored ulterior motives... But on the surface, they were all beaming with joy, deeply afraid of displeasing those two and getting smashed to death with a backhand staff.
Several weaker ones even directly huddled beside the two, being incomparably fawning.
"I am Li Dong, folk Path of the Arts. You two truly showed great bearing just now~" A person cupped his hands and spoke with a smile.
"The rake on this brother's back is so handsome, can I touch it?" A woman almost stuck to Tu Tian's side, her slender fingers beginning to roam across his back.
"..."
Even if they couldn't snatch the [Heaven-Reaching Star Position] in the end, building a good relationship in advance with guys qualified to become one of those seven people would also be a way out in the future.
Successive chattering sounds came from the side, but Tu Tian and Fudi thoroughly enjoyed it. They usually stayed at the Dragon-Strangling Warriors' headquarters, concentrating on experiencing and cultivating. When had they ever experienced such rolling red dust flattery? Every pore on their bodies opened up comfortably.
Fudi naturally reached out and hugged that woman's waist, pulling her into his embrace.
At the same time, Tu Tian's ears moved slightly. Hearing the conversation of the crowd behind, he turned his head and revealed a smile towards the three Dragon-Strangling Warriors companions:
"The three elder brothers don't need to be discouraged. This time Second Master let us come together precisely to look after each other. Moreover, your strength is not weak. Even if there are only five seats left after Fudi and I divide them, you might not completely lack the possibility of snatching a [Heaven-Reaching Star Position]."
Fudi nodded slightly. While enjoying the fragrant softness in his palm, he casually spoke, "Just do your best. It's fine if you fail in the end. After we two brothers get the [Heaven-Reaching Star Positions], we will definitely look after the Dragon-Strangling Warriors and add luster to the faces of you elder brothers."
No one noticed that while everyone was talking, an invisible Spirit Serpent quietly approached from above...